High Tides
by ShorelineHorizen
Summary: Victor Arcadia Sullivan. Your average Earth native lands on the beaches of Remnant wounded after a mugging gone wrong. He already had ghosts chasing him before... and mysteries keep finding ways to get to him. The gods are intrigued, and he's suspicious of his former father figure. Courageous, charismatic, and goofy define him perfectly. AU. SI/OC.
1. Drowning

_*Edited again as of 2/5/19. New little bits of info that help tie the chapter better with the direction I_ _'_ _ve taken it so far and a bit more depth at certain points to get it up to par with my newest chapters. Hopefully I didn_ _'_ _t miss anything THIS time. Working my way through the chapters little by little*_

 _This is something that I suppose I've had on my mind for a substantial amount of time now. I made my account after I wrote this, so I guess I must be eager to share it with all of you._

 _Never mind that for now, creativity will just follow with this godlike plunge of confidence I'm about to try. My name, I suppose as the 'author', will be_ ** _Shore_** _, as good a moniker as any. This shit's gonna take a lot for me to go through with, so I'd expect just enough content to be entertaining. Not too much though, you bunch of beautiful heathens you!_

 _I guess you could say I'm new to the game_ _…_ _so cheers muh bois and gorls! Wish me luck the best you can!_

 _Anyway, this is an idea for RWBY that has kept me locked in my head for about two months or whatever, so I hope all of you enjoy what I put on your plate. Enough of this shit though._

 _Let's get into this bitch, yea? Yea!_

 **Chapter 1** **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ** **Drowning** **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Well, fuck.

Probably not the first thought that should be popping into my mind right now, but as far as I'm concerned you can't really blame me. That simple ass, two-word phrase pretty much sums up the whole of my emotions. Cut and dry, just like that.

Guess I might have to explain. I can do that, so just keep your goddamn pants on, geez.

To put it simple, if a bit blunt, I just got rimmed _super_ fucking hard by… reality? The gods and goddesses representing normalcy? Fuck, for all I know it could have been the one _true_ god Ryan Reynolds that caused this existential shit storm to fall smack-dab into my lap. Must be fuck Tyler day.

Even so, as I continue to fall, feeling what I'm guessing is and am only willing to refer to as 'cosmic particle wind' rushing past my face, I can't really be mad, sad, or anything else along those lines. Breathing in heaps of the cosmological _dandruff_ through a deep sigh, I can only feel a slight handful of things, which slightly worries me.

 _Slightly._

I feel confused, obviously. But for some reason I can't help but also feel _excitement_. Anticipation, even. I'm sure you can figure out how utterly fucked that is in a moment, I have faith in you. For now I should probably tell you why the fact that I only feel these three things is kinda troubling. First off, we should address the _well-known fact_ that they are all emotions. _Nothing_ about them is specifically physical in nature. Are you starting to get a picture of where I'm going with this? This path I'm paving actually ends in a pretty major place.

For some, now that I'm thinking about it, absolutely _holy_ reason, I can't feel the fact that my left leg is more or less a broken, bloody, disgusting excuse for a meat sock. Think of a bendy straw, the kind that come in packs and replace that with my femur and shin bones. Not exactly a pretty depiction… _I_ of all people should know. I mean fuck, if I look close enough I can even see a little white between the ripped pants and blood soaked flesh.

Alright! That's enough staring at my own 'minced meat' for at _least_ another 30 doors. I'm pretty fucking sure I'm gonna blow chunks if I keep looking. **Not** good. I'm also pretty sure not being able to feel my injuries won't stop me from tasting the acidic _torture_ that is known as stomach acid. There's something else I can't feel, either.

Oh yeah, it might be the **_seven goddamn bullet wounds_** just haphazardly spread on my torso like sprinkles on a cupcake. Yeah, that might be what I was _forgetting._ That also _may_ _be_ what started this whole 'bizarre adventure' of mine, if you wanna call it that, in the first place.

I suppose I'll have to cut back to what set off this chain of fuck shit in the first place. How long has it been…? My watch oddly enough stopped working something like 13 hours into my fall through this psychedelic teal, purple, pink and orange hell hole and I lost count ever since. Enough of my current plight though, why don't we have a look at my previous one, shan't we boys and girls? Side note, I feel like a grandpa saying that made up word. It's just got that kinda feel, ya know?

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Flashback µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

It's hard to open my eyes. Well, more like it's hard to _want_ to, but it's all the same in the end, right? Of course I'm right.

I shouldn't even bother asking if a _fact_ is correct. Especially when I'd be asking _myself._

What makes it so much harder to open my eyes, I hear myself ask? Well, the fact that I'm only two days away from my loooong anticipated vacation, baby! It's been literal years since I planned this thing, and I find myself prematurely slipping into a careless attitude seemingly more potent than my name-brand carefree persona that most people seem envious of. However, as I lay in bed wishing for more sleep, I realize once more that if I want to have more fun with my beloved beach-chan and ocean-chan, I need to go to work and make nice with my coworkers and customers.

Damn bastards.

With that in mind I practically catapult myself out of bed directly into a stumbled rush towards the bathroom shower with all the fervor of a mangy beast lunging after fresh meat.

Only to immediately stub the shit out of my toe. As the loud thumping sound launches itself through the area, I really only have one thing to say.

"Shit, _fuck!_ Get outta the way you cunt!" I dominantly and not at all angrily yell at my nightstand as I rush past, yelling for the sake of my small toe which had been mercilessly slain by the dastardly piece of furniture, not waiting to notice the tears stream from its non-existant eyes at the profuse verbal abuse.

I had no time to waste and no patience as I jumped in the shower, stripping with all the speed of Freddy Mercury on stage at a live performance and none of the pronounced air humping. It was with this same urgency and speedy nature that I tore ass through my morning rituals, only stopping briefly to turtle up around my laptop and a quick breakfast of cereal for around thirty minutes.

 _'I don't know if I can wait two whole days to be free for the beach! I'm getting antsy just thinking about it_ _…_ _learning to surf is gonna be so fucking cool! Not to mention to be able to ride the waves with dolphins, even sharks, that's just_ _…_ _that's just so damn sick.'_ Sparing myself from my thoughts, I drift my gaze to my watch. It reads 9:30, much to my shock.

"SHIT! I need to get the fuck outta here!" Is what I attempted to exclaim, but somewhere in the process of gulping down milk and Rice Krispies it was roughly garbled into something like follows.

"FHIT! I ned to gfeftv da vuck outfhre!" This being punctuated with assorted crunching and gulping sounds was, needless to say, disgusting even to my _own_ ears.

Ignoring how gross the sound of myself stuffing down breakfast was, I quickly shove the bowl and spoon into the formerly empty sink with a clink and rush out the door, taking care to lock the deadbolt on my way. Rushing to my sedan I can only really think one thing.

'When was the last time I washed this thing?' My car, which I lovingly named Ilene, is fuckin' _covered_ in pollen and as loathe I am to admit it, bird shit. Shit… _literally_ _…_ must finally be Spring, huh? Allergies ahoy to all of you lesser beings, for I am immune! With a silent vow to clean her, and soon, I hop in cut the engine on and speed my way to work. Instead of watching the road like any _good_ driver would, I keep myself busy by singing along with the radio to whatever random songs that come on the station when I _know_ my voice can't do half the shit most of theirs can. Even so I continue, garnering looks from those unfortunate enough to also have their windows open this morning. The entire time I can only try my best to keep buried the secret wish of mine that other drivers _join_ _my session_ _._

 _…_

 _You ever just regret having thought something?_

 _ **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**_

 **Time Skip** **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

After around 40 minutes of driving through crowded, _cramped_ streets I arrive at my work place with time to spare, more than enough time to cover the walk from the employee parking lot to the actual site itself. In the back of my mind, I can already feel my personality working it's magic. I guess it's worth noting that I seem to have a certain…. skill, let's call it. This 'skill' allows me to endear myself to almost anyone. While thinking about the idea of my peculiar personality trait, I can't help but also dredge up the specifics of it, as I usually do.

'Skill is just what I categorize it as, I'm not actually sure what the fuck it actually is. Maybe I'm just cute or something…?' I stop for only a second, caught off guard by that thought and subsequent possibility. And after only that one second, I come to my answer. 'Nah! That's stupid, I'd have to be uber self-absorbed to think some shit like that. But if that's not it, then there isn't any explanation as to why it even exists.' Through _extensive_ testing on this... thing… I found out that for some reason it's like _super_ affective with moms, moderate with most older people, veterans, and works pretty effectively with chicks my age!

'It just doesn't make any sense why I'd have this… this… charisma multiplier! God, I can't believe I just thought that. What am I, a mega-dweeb!? Fuck ma-'

While thoughts of my… 'ability' dominated my mind, I managed to not only walk the rest of the way to my work place, but also manage to walk into one of my most awesome coworkers.

More along the lines of family, if I'm honest. Hell, he even got me my job here… not to mention taught me pretty much everything I know.

"Oof- Fuck Tyler, are you in a rush to get somewhere kid? I saw you clock in son, so what the hell are you doing moving so fast?" These were the words coming out of a grizzly bearded man's mouth. Many might have called the older 6"3' man intimidating, what with a somewhat bulky build, dark short cropped hair, greying lumberjack beard, chilly blue eyes and 'sunny disposition'. To others, that is, he might have actually been exactly that. He even had a reputation of customers never trying to pull shit with him at the register for pretty obvious reasons. To me however, he was just good Old Man Joe. Without wasting a second, I greet him like usual.

"Jesus Joe, I thought you were too fuckin' old to move that silently! Nearly scared me shitless." I halfheartedly complain to him, already knowing what he was going to say.

"Son, I haven't moved silently since the 90's, you just got too much damn shit in yer ears to hear me comin'! I'm old damn it, you need to get yer thumb outta yer ass and quit running into me every day." He practically radiates tiredness through the lines on his forehead and his eyes alone, but that's just how Joe looks.

Nearly a full minute passed with nothing but muffled silence and icy eye contact before all hell broke loose. By hell I actually mean loud, rough guffaws coming from the old man himself, coupled with peals of somewhat gritty boyish laughter from yours truly. This Joe guy happens to be one of my closest people, despite age difference, and we have just sealed our morning ritual of standoffish humor. After the chortles died down and mirthful tears had been wiped, I decide to begin the start of the actual work day with a question to the old fucker.

"So Joe, whaddya know? Seriously, what's the schedule looking like for today?" I ask after our short episode of camaraderie.

"I know a hell of a lot young 'un, but today is no different than the rest. Talk shop, work magic, do what the boss says, sell gas and cigs, the usual." He responded followed with an out of place sigh. He even takes the time to bring up one of his massive bear hands to scratch at the back of his head. That, over the time that I've known him, I've learned means he's got something on his mind.

"What was that at the end there Joey-boy? Sighing doesn't help time fly ya know…" I say with a fairly measured amount of air-headedness. For comedic purpose, obviously.

"It's nothing Tyler, just a wierd thought. Forget it son." He tried dismissively. Unluckily for him, I'm not so easy to let something go.

" _Really_? I thought you knew better than to try that 'it's nothing' shit with me. I'm smarter than my tan and long hair would make you think and you fuckin' know it Joe. Tell me what's wrong man, you know I'll help you out if I can." I admonish him, but only _slightly,_ just so the old man won't get his damn panties in a twist. Smart, right?

On second thought, you don't have to answer.

Hanging his head slightly with slumped shoulders and acting with a demeanor that just didn't fit the giant of a man before me, forehead wrinkled in thought, he responded to me.

"I know, I know kid. Just shut up already and listen… Yer' vacation starts in a couple days right? How long are you supposed to be gone for?"

I was actually kinda surprised that Joe remembered. Despite me knowing this guy since I was a kid, there honestly isn't too much that bothers this old goliath and with the way he's acting about the topic at hand it means my absence might. Now _that_ should flatter even the coolest of beans.

"Uh, yeah I should be gone about two and a half weeks, why man what's up?" I respond, slightly nervous if only for the fact that I'm pretty sure I know what he's gonna do ne-

Aaand almost exactly what I was afraid of happened. This giant of a man jerked his head up with the force of a damn gun shot, jostling his thick brown and grey streaked beard, piercing me with his watery blue eyes. Almost comical if it wasn't so unsettling, but honestly it still got a bit of a stifled snort out of me.

"WHO AM I GONNA TALK TO WHILE YER' GONE!? Yer' just about the only person I have an actual conversation with 'round here! Hell, yer' the only one smart enough to keep up with me!" Joe bellowed in horror at me.

"Calm down Joe I'm sure it won't be that ba-" I stopped mid-sentence due to the old fuck furrowing his eyebrows at me and gesturing around us wildly with his hand, also wearing a look that just screamed 'Oh really? Bet you're wrong bitch'. With a sigh I decide to follow his _suggestion_ only to find, who else, but our 'colleagues'. First up a two count for near brain dead chemical huffers, Brian and Willy, drooling slightly on the tables they were seated at. A three count of socially inept girls glued to their phones, Ashley, Rebecca, and Jerrica, none of the three looking up from the little magical box in their hands containing twitter. Finally, my eyes landed on Lee, a guy so nervous that I've never seen him _not_ shaking like a man possessed. Poor guy never takes his eyes off others out of sheer paranoia and is _never_ seen without a cup of coffee nearby.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Okay so maybe it's slim pickins', bu-" I tried only to be rightfully interrupted.

"BUT NOTHING! You know just as well as I do that we're the only people here even capable of havin' a conversation that doesn't _suuuuuckkkk_ kid!" Joe proceeded to whisper yell at me, likely trying to hide the fact that he's whining to a man less than half his age. Pretty smart move on his part, actually.

"... yea you have a pretty good point." I conceded, at a loss for a rebuttal. With the amount of _vegetation_ that seems to work here, Joe's gonna have a bit of a rough go without me.

"I know I do! Now how am I gonna survive this?" The old man whined to his much younger counter part. Thinking hard for only a moment I came up with a solution to both solve the problem and succeed in making me laugh once more. The perfect balance, really.

"DUDE! I know this one! Are you ready?" I taunted, shit eating grin displayed proudly on my face.

His eyes and somewhat tense body language screamed at me to spit it out already. Being the kind soul that I am, I happily oblige.

"Why don't you use your vacation days too, you frugal old shit." I finish with complete sincerity and an intensely serious face.

"NOW'S NO TIME FOR JOKES YOU LITTLE- wait what? Vacation days?" Joe questioned, with now rapidly brightening eyes. And with a mere suggestion it seems I've set his gears in motion. I suppose I only need one more push to help him solve his dilemma.

"Yes, vacation days. Use 'em." I insisted. With that a look of thought crossed his face, I was only mildly surprised that I even got him to think about it. He's usually a lot more stubborn about suggestions _in general,_ so seeing a break to that trend is a bit refreshing, to be honest.

"Actually, that sounds like it ain't a half-bad idea. You might actually be just a bit smart! Y'know, _a bit._ " He concluded with a smirk that, if one squinted and tilted their head, could be called a smile.

"And you might be slightly less of an idiot than I thought you were. You know, _slightly_." I responded in kind with a matching smirk of my own, fully committed to playing the part of Old Man Joe's apprentice.

Joe's smirk only widened at my words.

"Shut up kid. I'll go talk with the boss about cashing in my days. As for you, it's almost time to get to the station, so I'd get my game face on if I were you son." My long-time friend said with steely determination, already turning from me on a new quest.

"Shut up old man, get to the boss already. You of all people should know by now, this _is_ my game face." I finished the conversation still with a smile on my face, one that was threatening to breech the edges of my face. As I watched Joe walk off on his mission for vacay days, I prepared for another day of work, blissfully unaware that this would be the last one I'd ever experience.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Time Skip** **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

'Man, this day felt like it took fucking _forever._ Guess I can't complain, after all the majority of my job is talking to people. That's something I _know_ I'm good at.' I think to myself somewhat smugly, my face no doubt displaying that exact emotion as I walk out the front door of my place of business wearing the same khaki slacks, white undershirt, dark blue polo and skater sneakers I wear every day to work. And my black bandanna. Can't forget about that part, that one follows me practically every where even if I'm not wearing it.

The next thing I know, however, a large hand slaps my shoulder from behind accompanied by a loud growling laugh. A very _familiar_ laugh at that.

"Let's see... I've got two guesses at who you are, stranger." I give a pause, only so that it _seems_ like I took time to think about my answer. "So, why do you like cookies so much Santa?"

This was quickly followed by a light smack against the back of my head and a bright grin sprouting on my face as I turn around.

"Shut the hell up, you smart ass bastard…" Grumbled the giant that is Joe, wearing almost the exact same clothing as me sans bandanna and sneakers, instead being replaced with boots. Trying and failing at hiding the grin on his face, he continues on. "Anyway, I had to work some magic, but yer' vacation idea came through for me boy! Now instead of suffering two and a half weeks without the only good conversation in this joint, I won't hafta sit through any! Is this what a blessing feels like?!" Joe cheered, apparently forgetting how serious his usual demeanor is. He does that a lot around me, now that I think about it. I swear he might start crying any minute now… what a strange and _old_ friend I have. I get it though, I'd probably cry if he went on vacation and left me there to rot alone too, honestly.

Not that I'll ever admit that to anyone. Ever.

"That's great news Joey-boy. So who's balls did you have to fondle to get your vacation approved so fast huh? Might need to know for later." I inquire, coupled with one of the blankest faces I can muster. With an amused snort he responded back.

"No-ones, actually. Apparently working there every day for 5 years straight with no days off gained me some clout with the office birds. They called it 'Paid Mentality Assurance'! Now ain't that sound important and all fancy like?" The giant of a man finished his question (more of a statement, if you ask me), with an eager grin, no doubt looking forward to his well-earned time off.

Five fucking years?! That's it? Oh, wait… I forgot he used to be a logger. We pretty much started here at the same time, now that I think of it.

'Should I tell him…? Nah he'll be fine. Right?' Is what I thought on the inside. On the outside what I responded with was more along the lines of a shocked, "You betcha, old man!"

Needless to say, old Joe was quite pleased with himself.

Near after this he appeared to have a question not only on his mind, but his face as well if his furrowed eyebrows are any indication.

"Hey Tyler are you heading home too? We should walk to the parking lot together, it's better to walk in numbers since we're in the city like this. I hear all kinds of fucked up stories about muggings around here from the customers. Especially in the evening hours of the day." The older guy quested, giving me the image of him in a Dovahkin helmet. That image will get printed onto a cake at some point... it's just too funny not to have in my memory.

I can quickly tell he's serious about this so I give him a quick nod. Joe doesn't often act too serious around _me_ , but something I've never even heard him joke about is the safety of friends or anything like-minded. A glance at my watch tells me it's 7:50 PM, if it's correct. My watch is _always correct._ After reassuring the big guy _multiple times_ that I don't mind, we head off towards the employee parking lot through the crowded streets.

Trying not to bump into strangers is definitely an acquired skill. Big city living at its finest, truly. Something you'll either pick up quickly, or be forever damned to bump into people on a consistent basis… with your threshold for annoyance taking a hit each time.

Knowing both of us fairly well, it's no surprise that we both get pretty fed up with the crowd at a rapid pace. The bumping, excusing, and repetition that is crowd navigation both had us broken by the time we were around halfway there following the normal paths. Nothing but suits and ties as far as the eye can see!

"Hey Joe, I think I know a shortcut to the lot through this alley coming up! You up for it!?" I exclaim over the chatter of the crowd, drawing more than a few annoyed glances my way from all the fuckers on their phones. Jackasses.

"ANYTHING TO GET OUT OF THIS TIDAL WAVE OF FUCK!" Is what the old man answered back, just a slight bit too loud. Skipping the annoyance stage altogether, the suits glare at him heavily. I feel like getting that kind of reaction is a special skill that he's developed over the years…

Maybe not my brightest idea to choose an alleyway shortcut in the heart of the city, but the grating feeling of irritation waits for no man.

Through all of the hustle and bustle of the city streets, we both managed to forget old man Joe's earlier warning. Nothing will cloud the mind like irritation. Or anger. Or just about anything, really. Humans are pretty shit when it comes to remembering stuff honestly.

Both of us stood at the entrance to the alleyway, it being spring there was still a good amount of light, but it was dark enough that the alleyway was shaded. A bit _too_ shaded for a meager comfortable stroll. I see Joe look to me from the corner of my eye, seeming as if he wanted to voice something.

"What's the matter old man, losing your nerve at a couple _spooky shadows_?" I taunt at him good-naturedly, clawing my hands in a poor imitation of a monster.

"Not at all kiddo, I'm just wondering how many times you been down this way by yerself… if I'm honest you don't really seem like the shortcut type anymore son." He answered with an inquisitive silence following. In all honesty, he was right. I'm not too fond of shortcuts because they usually lead to areas a bit too suspect for me these days.

Especially after what happened with her.

"Well, desperate times, right? Besides, it's basically daylight still and it's almost a straight shot to the lot. What could go wrong, old man?"

 **I tempted fate.**

"Guess yer right kiddo. Well let's get a move on! I'm roasting over here damn it!" the cool-as-a-cucumber Joe exclaimed with a jolly huff.

And so we forged on through the alleyway with all the confidence of hardened warriors, even though neither of us were as such. As we continued through, we reached its darkest point. Just before we breech a lighter part in the shadow, both Joe and I heard something worrying.

A loud clanking sound echoed off the stone of the buildings to either side of us. This followed by the sound of rustling immediately has us both on edge. Joe… _noticeably_ faster than me.

For the love of fuck let that be a racoon! Trash pandas I can handle! _Legitimate_ monsters, though…? Probably not so much.

Both of us whirled around out of barely trained instinct. The first sound was obviously the metal trash cans in the alleyway being disturbed. The second sound we would find out. Nothing was in our line of sight, so with a well-placed look at each other we turned back around.

A person was there, waiting for us.

The light clink of metal penetrates my ears, followed by a powerful realization.

He just cocked a gun.

"Hands in the air. Don't make any funny moves." Calmly stated the clearly serious man.

"Fuck." I say out of instinct, Joe pretty much echoing me at this point.

 **Fate answered right back.**

I'll be honest, I am panicking right now. Me and Joe have our hands up unenthusiastically, this fucker has a gun, and the rustling was obviously this guys clothes. Decked out entirely in black, this guy just _oozes_ bad news. I guess the goddamn _gun_ helps with that aura of his too, if I _really_ think about it. Beanie, shades, black t-shirt, leather jacket, gloves, jeans and boots. The only feature I can glean from this guy is what I'm sure is mint green hair peeking out from under that beanie of his. I can't even _fathom_ what the hell we should do next.

"Fuck is right. I want you to take out your wallets slowly with your right hands. I only want the money and the cards, but try anything funny and your cash won't be the only thing I'm taking." The mystery thug states casually, as if he would be more entertained by the dictionary.

"Listen you can take the money just don't hur-!" That was all I managed to get out before I was interrupted by old man Joe.

"I can't let you take the kids money. He's been saving up since he started working. You won't be getting anything, he needs it." Joe retorted with unnatural calm for the situation.

'What is he talking about? This is a robbery! What's wrong with-' I started thinking before being cut off yet again.

"I don't give a shit if the money is to save his baby sister's life. I'm. _Taking._ _ **IT**_." Said the robber with deadly assurance that he would get what he wants. This guy is the real fucking deal!

"It seems that we ain't the agreeing type, **boy**." Joe said with a conviction I've never heard before, I'm getting worried. "I won't let you take it."

My eyes widen, but I barely notice it... my mind is trying to run at speeds I can't possibly hope to follow.

"What could you possibly do against me, _grandpa?_ " Taunted the thief followed by a hearty laugh, wracking his body with shakes. His gun arm, however, moved not an inch.

It was at this moment, almost as if on cue, that the crazy old man next to me turned and looked me in the eyes. Those eyes showed no fear… he even had a fucking _smile on._ Just who the fuck is this guy I've known all this time?!

As mentally out of it as I was at the time… I don't think I'll ever forget what he told me next.

"Don't let people push you around so easily son. While I'm at it, find a girl or maybe even three of em' you fucking prude!"

What?

That crazy old man then proceeded to rush the armed thief with nothing but his own two fists and thundering grizzly laughter…

Three disgustingly loud sounds launched themselves through the alley, bouncing off the walls around us and becoming just that much louder. I couldn't even flinch.

…And got three bullets through the chest.

 _I just watched._

He fell like a bag of rocks to the hard pavement.

 _And I just watched._

That damn old fuck just threw away his life for me.

 _ **And I just watched.**_

The gunman just shook his head.

I felt something inside me **snap**. I'm just sure it was something important. I'm sure it was.

Because in that next instant I was rushing towards old man Joe, and I didn't feel fear.

Seven more shots, just as loud as the last three hit my ears. Once again, I don't have it in me to flinch.

 _*Click click click*_

 _"Shit!"_

Let me be the first to say that adrenaline is one _hell_ of a fucking chemical.

I got hit by every one of those damn bullets and I didn't feel shit more than a tickle. I managed to get to the body of that shitty old man and _lift;_ no, actually _pick up and run with_ old man Joe on my shoulders back the way we came. This entire time I couldn't hear anything other than the blood pumping through my ears, so who knows what became of the murderer. All I know is that I managed to book it all the way out of the alley and to the other side of the street before I tripped.

I dropped Joe in front of me, most of me on the sidewalk, only part of me left on the street. My left leg…

A disgustingly wet wheezing type of sound emits from next to me. That's blood that just splattered against my cheek. What else could it be?

"G-gramps…?" I ask, more along the lines of plead in _my_ mind.

".…w-what-s wrong k-kiddo, too old to r-run around like that anymore….?" Life is barely in his voice and he's making fucking jokes… he won't make it… I won't either. A fitting way to die, all things considered.

"D-damn old m-an, you rea-ally s-hit the b-bed this time!"

With matching shit-eating grins, both covered in blood, we really are a spitting image. Ain't that just nice!

I must be out of super movement juice (adrenaline) because I can't move worth a fuck. Maybe I can-

'I think Joe just stopped breathing. For good this ti-'

 **As if on cue to bring my thoughts to a halt, something filthy sounding permeates the area. A disgusting cacophony of crunches and squelches, a choir of gore erupts in my ears. A burst of pain I can only describe as lightning shoots up and down my leg before going worryingly numb.**

'Aaand that was my leg. Guess its roadkill. Fuck.'

'I think maybe I'll just close my eyes. Then if I rest them just a little, I'll… I'll…'

My thoughts were taken over, stopping right there and going no further. But I could see. All around me were those same suits from earlier, men and women suddenly ripped from their monotonous routine and thrust into a situation they have nothing to do with. Some panicking and calling for help, others rushing past and trying their best to ignore it all. The bus that ran me over was stopped in the middle of the road, the driver already out of his vehicle and rushing towards me… the _casualty._ My hearing is gone… but I can still _see_ how loud everyone is.

I can see my father figure. The one who took in not only myself, but also my best friend. Despite not knowing either of us at all, despite our involvement in… _delinquent_ activity… he took us in and never gave up on us. He's lying on the sidewalk with that smile still on his face, bloodied and without breath.

In the blink of an eye, I could no longer see.

All I now knew, was black.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **End Flashback** **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

To summarize, I took a shortcut to the parking lot with my friend old man Joe, proceeded to get both of us killed, and also managed to get run over by a fucking bus before I kicked the bucket. All of this not even two days from vacation for both of us.

Holy fuck dude how I went out sounds like it's both cliché and hardcore as fuck at the same time. What am I, some comic book character?

Now you know just as much as I do about the current situation, well _almost_ I suppose. There are a few details of where I am that I've managed to gather since I woke up, which I think might be important.

One, during all this time (13+ hours), I haven't hit the floor yet. I think it's safe to say wherever the fuck I am either doesn't _have_ one, or is maybe a continuous loop. I personally have my money on the last one because I'm almost positive that I've seen some of these ' _doors'_ more than once on my little sky-diving adventure here. That's good news, it means I haven't missed the chance to pick which door I want.

Two, I'm absolutely sure that I've seen these damn 'doors' before. 'Doors' referring to the anomalies on all sides of me, passing me by with a somewhat lazy speed and being open to look almost exactly like your typical portal. I don't just mean that I recognize them from my repeating fall here, but that I recognize what's _inside_ these mind-boggling pieces of proof that other universes exist. It depends on the door, really, but for the most part I can recognize where they lead. Should I name a few off, I'd come up with places like the bridge of the Normandy SR-2, one leading to what I am _sure_ is Rapture's Medical wing, some kind of tavern looking place with what sounds like the abrasive noise of a bar fight, one in which the edge of the 'doorway' is emphasized with a solid trail of salt and exactly 13 nails, even a damn research station on mars! Note to self, avoid that last one at all costs. The list goes on and on, each one more exciting than the last.

Finally, three, throughout the time I've been falling I actually haven't been losing any blood. A blessing in its own right considering just how _extensive_ my wounds are. This gives me hope to perhaps even _survive_ my trip through this shit. Barely _._

'I do believe I've given enough mental fucking detail to satisfy whatever gods or goddesses are watching for entertainment. I'm getting _real_ god damned tired of falling, so I should pick my mark and head for the flight out of this psychedelic nightmare fun house…' I think to myself irritably. Can you blame me? I fucking _died_ not too long ago, I feel I'm entitled to a bit of snark.

With a new-found goal in mind I begin studying characteristics that make up each passing doorway, not realizing in my excitement that I leaned forward just a tad too much. It was with a bit of a start that I registered each passing doorway seemed to be growing larger than the last. With a startled yell it clicked in my mind that I was now careening towards the wall of portals and-

 ***THUNK***

Apparently I was also heading towards a wall of visible acid trip that was a lot more… _solid_ … than I once thought it was, smearing my life blood all over space and time in the process.

"Just what the FUCK is this place _actually_ supposed to be?" I ask myself in a scratchy voice while frantically throwing my hands up in an attempt to grip the edges of whatever portal rested directly above me. To my utter bewilderment, I actually got a grip. _On the edge of a fucking portal._ ** _On the edge of another universe._** Immediately following my grip being made, I slam once again into the psychedelic side of reality with a small 'Ooof'.

"It's all fun and games until you go and break physics, fucker…" I mumble quietly to myself, this time honestly shocked and with no exaggeration _completely done_ trying to figure out just what the fuck was happening. I brace my arms to lift my body up just enough for a peek through the portal I find myself hanging from, in no hurry to let go and continue my falling displeasure when I hear something that interrupts me.

More than just a bit startled, I look around to find the source of what sounds like muffled yelling, obviously one side of an extremely heated argument with how loud it was. After a solid twenty seconds of looking around I finally pinpoint the origin of the sound being around two portals directly above me.

" _What is this shit? Are you trying to ship out MY GOODS without a proper permit!? Just who the hell do you think you are!? Look at this! Shock Jockey, Bucking Bronco, Return to Sender, even UNDERTOW! DO YOU TAKE ME FOR A FOOL!? I SEE THAT BOTTLE BEHIND YOUR BACK, BOY! That's it, Jamesson, your employ with Fink Industries is now_ ** _terminated._** _Do I make myself CLEAR, Jamesson? You're fired! Fired, FIRED, FIRED,_ ** _FIRED_** _!"_

'Guess poor Jamesson just got his ass stomped in. Rest in Peace, poor man.' I thought sardonically to myself.

My thought was punctuated by an _entire fucking crate_ of shit getting flung into my little homely void of mindfuck through the same portal I heard the verbal ass blasting come from. The side, if I'm reading this right, says ' **Fink Industries, EST. 1893** '. This simple stamp blew my innocent little mind.

"Fink Industries, there's no way… But if it actually _is_ …"

Then I can't let the opportunity quite literally fall past my grip.

What with the luck of the devil on my side, me catching sight of a lone bottle following after the massive shipping crate should be a no-brainer. Apparently whoever shoved that entire shipping crate of vigors in here must have gotten ahold of the one hidden behind Jamesson's back and decided to chuck that one too. Lucky me! The bottle was _significantly_ closer to me as it was on its way down, almost as if the thrower meant for me to catch it… The half serious thought 'Who am I to defy providence' briefly thundered through my mind as I reached for the falling god send.

*Tink*

And with that ground shaking sound my genetic fate was sealed. My future now rested in the palm of my hand. Turning it here and there slightly with the hand I caught it, I soaked in the blue glass, silver depiction of an angry ass octopus and the tentacle shaped stopper. I'm basically dancing a jig in my heart as I realize just what I'd been _so graciously_ supplied with.

"Undertow…? OH FUCK YEAH! This fuckin' thing is one of the coolest vigors! And it might just be the only one in any of the games to actually _use water_ to attack from what I remember…" I'm sure I have a shit-eating mega-watt grin on my face right now. Uh, because Undertow, duh. " So, cursed and blessed in short order? I might just be able to live with that!"

"... ya know… if I _do_ live."

And so it was with one hand holding me up by the edge of a portal and the other gripping greedily at a bottle of magic alcohol that I deftly tore out the cork and spat it away into the void. Within exactly 3 seconds I'm downing a bottle of mystical spaghetti sauce that promised to give me superpowers with all the thirst of a man lost in the desert. Why the hell it tastes like blue Gatorade, is the only question I have at the moment. Finishing the bottle off, that too ended up joining the cork in falling through the void. Newsflash, the vigor _works_.

I suppose one good thing about being in this void is I didn't have to feel what happened next. I only watched as select pores gradually increased in size to pock marks, then bullet wounds, and then gaping holes running clean through my arm. Both slightly in horror and fascination I also watched as my arm slowly receded back to normal, no doubt going dormant until the next time I decide to flare my newly acquired vigor.

"So. Fucking. **Rad**." I whispered to myself. Then shaking my head I put my free hand back firmly on the edge of the portal I'd been hanging from all this time. 'I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be for this shit. Let's do this.' This was the last thought that went through my mind as I steeled myself and lunged over the edge of the portal above me, effectively launching myself into a new reality. A new adventure.

A new chapter to my life.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **North Shoreline of Patch Island** **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Let it be said that I did _not_ stick the landing. What with 7 gunshot wounds, a fucked leg, and two now very sore arms, how could I have? Still, I'm sure I could have hoped for a bit better than a face full of sand and rock. Mostly rock, actually… I could've landed on my _back_ at least. Too little too late I guess, but whatever. I have more pressing matters to address. Like the fact that since I'm now out of the… I'll just keep referring to it as void… I am now experiencing the near crippling pain of my injuries.

"F-ffffuck, maybe I s-should have actually chosen the med bay… this beach can't help me, I'm f-fuckin bleeding out over here…" My voice was barely above a whisper, I must be worse off than I thought. I have to try for a while before I manage to flop onto my back, causing a massive surge of pain to go through me. As I force myself to choke down a moan of pain I weakly look my bloodied body over, leading me to notice my leg seems a bit better off than it was last time I checked. Now instead of looking like a meat-filled sock, it looks more like a leg that had been mauled. Still pretty bad, but progress is what I told myself. Maybe it was the vigor? Either way, it doesn't really matter right now.

"I suppose there's n-nothing to do but wait. Hope someone finds me before… before…" I trail off quietly, now fighting a battle just to keep my eyes open.

It's a losing battle, obviously. I'm on the verge of passing out, but something interesting happens which hooks my attention _just_ enough to keep me from a black out just yet. A sharp noise echoes off the surrounding landscape, an overtly dangerous one with an express one-way ticket to my ears. Rocky. Red eyes.

"Everyone gets one. But you're interesting... appearing like you have. You'll get two, boy. One now, one later." A surprisingly velvety voice says to me. At this point all I can do is hear, having already lost the battle to keep my eyes open. I, however, don't need my eyes to know who this is, I'd never be able to mistake that sound and that voice being in the same place.

Raven Branwen.

'Looking after bloody boys on the beach are we? Interesting... I totally told you so. My 'skill' is even super effective against 'mom of the year' over here, and when I'm almost dead to boot!' I quite mistakenly managed to think to myself before sinking into the darkness of my mind.

Everything is always so dark…

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **A Dusty Old Qrow** **'** **s POV** **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

"Shit shit shit shit shit!" I continued repeating this mantra quietly to myself while I tear ass across the landscape of Patch, my home for some time now.

Not even 10 minutes ago I was peacefully resting my eyes (totally not sleeping, Tai) on my desk at Signal Academy… when I got a message from the green suited troll himself. That's right, a certain Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy.

Always a pleasure talking to that guy, really. The experience absolutely _doesn_ _'_ _t_ drop ice cube-like dread down the back of my shirt and then take off running.

Actually I lied… that's exactly what it feels like.

Now let me explain why I don't exactly like getting messages from Ozpin. Whenever I get one from him, my life always gets harder immediately after. Me receiving a message from him usually results in me having to go to some backwater place in the middle of nowhere searching for info, going on a hunt for monstrosities that should never see the light of day and almost kill myself in the process, or sending me on my way to check out something so weird it'll sail right over my head.

Apparently this message involved the latter. However, imagine my surprise when instead of 'the weird shit' happening somewhere nobody's ever fucking heard of, he wants to send me to the northern tip of Patch. The island I live on.

 _The island my nieces live on._

That's really all I needed to know to get me moving towards my destination like a bat out of hell. All I needed to know to want to _kill_ whatever this 'anomaly' is before it even has the slightest CHANCE of presenting danger to the girls… and the rest of the island too I guess, is that it's too close. Whatever. It'll be dead soon.

'There's a chance it could also be absolutely fuckin nothing too Qrow, calm down a little…' Only one of the many thought rushing through my mind as I ran. I guess I'll just save judgement for later then. Hefting my big ass fucking masterpiece of a weapon up, I strike a pose and put on my most murderous of smiles for a bit of fun.

"Ready or not, here comes Qrow." I mutter mirthfully to the passing shrubbery, not even bothering to laugh at my own joke.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **North Shoreline of Patch Island** **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Finally arriving at my ordered destination I did what any good hunter should do. I used my fucking eyes to check my surroundings. It only pays to be aware. Now, something that about every person on Patch is aware of is where to keep the young away from. Anyone with brain cells is smart enough to keep their kids away from the forest on patch, which is dangerous for reasons involving Grim like Beowolves and the occasional Ursai. The shores, however, are a different breed altogether. In all the kingdoms the shores are seen as dangerous because of various species of aquatic Grim. Patch, surprisingly enough don't have many aquatic Grim at all in the surrounding waters, so the shores are for the most part safe.

This rule, however, has an exception. All residents of Patch without being a fully-fledged Hunter, or at the very _least_ a hunter in training, have been told to stay away from the Northern shoreline of the island because of a relatively recent development. That development being a pack of Grim known as Sand Sharks having taken up residence there. They aren't specifically hard to kill, but they become hard to fight when they swim through sand like water. It being common knowledge on the island to avoid this specific shoreline now begs a question…

'What the fuck is that kid doing napping here!? He'll get ripped to shreds! Troublesome, now I gotta save his ass… Damn it Ozpin, something goes wrong every time you send me on a mission. Miserable old coot…' I briefly panic to myself while successfully remaining cool as a damn cucumber on the outside. Giving a heavy sigh I stab my sword into the sand for the time being and unveil my trusty sidekick: hard liquor. Taking a quick swig from my flask I hide it away once more, yanking my 'just-as-trusty' scythe-sword combo out of the beach and calmly walk towards the boy all the while preparing to grill the kid on just what the hell he's thinking relaxing _here_ of all places.

'He's damn lucky the nest is off further to the East near the rocks or he would've been Grim chow right now.' I think to myself, irritation heavy at the front of my mind. As I continue getting closer I see more details. These details are what quicken my pace.

"Damn, maybe this kids not as lucky as I thought after all." Are the words that tumble out of my mouth, now running full speed towards the poor boy. I fall to my knees quickly once I've arrived, letting my weapon slam into the sand with the same amount of urgency.

'Shit, that's a lot of blood… who the fuck would do something like this to a kid!?' Not letting myself dwell on just how many people would, in fact, do exactly this and probably worse to the kid I go about taking stock of his injuries, and to a lesser degree his general appearance.

The first thing I noticed was how absolutely _fucked_ his leg was. Like it had been chewed on by a Beowolf, but something just wasn't quite… **right** with that assessment.

'Nevermind that, no time.' I berated myself. Next I had to check exactly what was wrong with his torso to induce bleeding like that. I tore his shirts neatly down the center, taking care to go around the bronze fish necklace (I know sentimental value when I see it), to reveal… bullet wounds? I'm gonna need more than just my flask if _this_ is what I've gotta deal with…

"There's seven of them… someone tried to murder this kid!? What the hell is this world coming to?" The revelation that someone must have actively tried to _dispose_ of this boy by feeding him to the sharks around these parts left me feeling sick to my stomach. Believe me, that's hard to do these days.

'At this point he's lost too much blood to make it back to the village, unless…' Qrow's eyes steeled over, an air of solemn integrity falling over him, tainted with the slight tinge of regret. 'I have no choice. For this kid to live… I gotta force him into the life of a Huntsman. That's the only way I can be sure he doesn't turn out like... like the last one I saved...'

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **A Main Temporarily Named Tyler** **'** **s POV** **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

As I regain consciousness, I can hear someone mumbling. I'm guessing someone else found me then? Possibly that Raven _didn't_ gift me with death? Great. However, something about the voice is awfully familiar… I just can't quite place it yet. What the voice says next however, stops my mind dead in its tracks and garners my full, undivided attention.

"For it is in passing that we achieve true purpose. Through this, we become a pillar of strength and light for all those around. Standing tall and shining brightly through the shadows. Here, I release your soul, and by my own, protect thee."

'Holy fuck there is _no way dude._ ' That was more or less the state of my mind as I frantically fought to open my eyes. Managing to do just that, I crack my eyes open just in time to see a massive burst of seafoam green envelope me.

Flowing and crashing, just like the ocean waters I adore so much.

As the light recedes I find before me everyone's favorite drunkle, Qrow 'Schnee-Fucking' Branwen. Holy shit is this what it's like to be a fanboy? Gross.

Qrow seems to take notice of the fact I opened my eyes and offers me some quick words and liquid painkiller.

"Monty Oum kid, that soul of yours must be powerful as shit. Now I have no doubt we'll make it back to the village in time to get you fixed up. Here, drink it. You probably need it more than me right now." As he finishes he hands me the ever so coveted 'Flask of Qrow'. I then take it, wipe the cap and waterfall the shit like any decent member of society should. As I finish I hand it back to him barely able to hold it high enough with my weakened arms. He smirks like I just completed a monumental task worthy of respect and proceeds to pick me up bridal style. Damn it, first time meeting one of the coolest guys around and he has to carry me like a girl. Great.

In all honesty though, I think I must have lost a _lot_ of blood by this point. I can hardly lift my head without help.

"Just hang tight, we'll be at my friend Tai's house before you know it. He'll patch you up real good, just don't fall asleep on me. Imma need you to stay awake, alright kiddo?" Qrow asked me with a strong voice, garnering a slurred agreement from me in response. Meanwhile I was busy thinking of the way Qrow called me kiddo.

That sadistic old man shouldn't have died like that. He didn't deserve it.

It was at this point I'm glad Qrow was busy focusing on rushing us back to the village. And let me tell you, this fucker can run _fast!_ If he wasn't focused on that, there's a good chance he would've seen the tears I shed silently for my lost family. Hell, there's a good chance he still noticed anyway.

That crazy old bastard… I'll miss him. I'll miss him a lot.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Chapter 1** **µµµ** **END** **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 _So what do all you fuckers out there think? Not bad for my first rodeo eh? Yeah? Yeah._

 _I'm pretty proud of how this turned out for being my first venture into this shit, but if you guys find anything that needs fixing grammatically that I might of missed I'd appreciate the help. (My keyboard is kinda jacked at the moment, so sometimes it might miss a letter or whatever. Sorry about that and I know, it gets on my nerves too.)_

 _I'm trying to flesh out the story bit by bit as I go, so it'll probably get better and better_ _…_ _at least I hope it does._

 _Other than that I hope you enjoyed my little corner show here. Favorite it, review it, whatever you people feel like doing, just have fun with it._

 _Until next time, I guess!_

 _Shore out_


	2. Resuscitation and the Doggy Paddle

_*Edited (or basically brought up to date) on 4/26/19. Enjoy, mai boi*_

 _Holy shit guys this chapter is long as fuck. I had a moment of intense improvement from the time I posted my last chapter, so read it again if you haven't since I made the revisions. I included a couple of important scenes too, so get on it dudes._

 _Anyways I've had a pretty good fuckin reception, thanks to all you fuckers. I appreciate it a lot more than you know. Let's get into the comments before the story._

 _Fat Future Cat- Thanks dawg, I appreciate the interest! You're right too, it wasn't explained in the last chapter very well so I included a couple cues. Why Qrow says that is also explained in this chapter a bit deeper. I'm glad you think it could be good dude, hopefully this chapter continues the trend!_

 _Managed Dragoon- You said it man, when I 'edited' the first time I just skimmed it. Huge mistake. When I actually read it through I found SO MANY ERRORS! Needless to say I've got a new editing style now which is more effective. The deal with the vigor will also make an appearance near the end of the chapter in a pretty spectacular way._

 _GamehunterMC- Thanks man! This is my first attempt, so I'm really pouring my heart and soul into it!_

 _Youngsavage- Holy shit I know EXACTLY what you mean! It's hard to find a good OC because everyone wants to be perfect and edgy. Sometimes it hurts to fuckin read, honestly. Don't worry bro, I have a strict aversion to anything that would make me curl up and die if I read it, so you're safe._

 _0-Tengetsu-0- Coming in clutch with the compliments, my man! I'm pretty sure you get the flow I'm going for so hopefully you like where this fuckin train goes! P.S. I love your profile pic._

 _AWPerator- You're safe(ish) from weeb shit here, my son. This is safe haven for those running. Lol seriously though I know what you mean._

 _Keep commenting. It feeds me, my children. On another note, here's some more fuckshit for you beautiful savages._

 **Chapter 2 µµµµµµµµµµµµ Resuscitation and Learning to Doggy Paddle µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Qrow's POV µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

The kid was crying. He was trying his best to hide it as his near blood-dry body would allow, but no detail escapes the attention of _the Qrow,_ baby! In all seriousness though, I can't really hold the tears against him. He might be a tough as hell kid to take all this punishment, get his aura unlocked by _me_ of _all_ possible people _,_ and still be alive… but he's still no more than that.

A kid.

He can't really damn up those emotions as much as he might wish he could. _I_ honestly just wish that he'd stop soaking my sleeve with those tears. Do you know how _difficult_ it is to dry clean this fucking thing?

Outside of my mind, I'm bursting past the trees and shrubbery. The further I run, the more I begin to recognize areas more familiar to me.

"We're getting close kid. Just hold on a bit longer." I mutter out pointlessly as support to the dying child in my arms, knowing full well that he'd passed out 30 meters ago. I won't admit that it was also reassurance for myself. Doesn't matter how many times you ask me, I'll never say it out loud you sadistic pricks.

My legs are burning a bit at this point, but I've run for longer with less weight on my shoulders than a child's life. I'll manage, as I always do. We passed my personal training grounds a while ago, so if I had to guess we're only… maybe 600 meters from Tai's place?

"Good thing I can clear that distance in my sleep, right?" I say this only just louder than the wind rushing past us, getting nothing but silence in return for my efforts. I know how detached that sounds… but on the inside I'm actually panicking. I dunno if I can bring myself to bury a kid with as much fight in him as this one. I can't let such a _sad fucking feeling_ reach the surface. It would make me slip up and I can't have that right _now_ of all times. So instead, I cope with chilly humor. The usual for me these days.

Sometimes I can't stop myself from wondering why I turned out this way… but I can't focus on that right now.

Finally, to my immediate relief I leap out of the tree line and am greeted with the sight of the massive log house that myself and three others call home.

"Tai, TAI!" I shout with heavy breaths in between, praying that I get his attention as fast as possible.

"GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE XIAO LONG, I NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION!" I shout even louder as I kick down the front door, kid still safely in my arms. A fleeting thought of fixing that very same door later runs through the back of my mind in my haste. If anything'll get him to stop fucking around, the need for medical aid would be it. As a man with two daughters, he takes wounds seriously. Even back in the academy he knew a _ton_ about dressing wounds. He's the best chance this kid has at survival right now aside from an _actual_ hospital.

Apparently my prediction was right, because as soon as I said 'medical attention' my brother in all but blood makes a shit ton of noise in his study, most likely gathering whatever he needs from one of the numerous stashes he has hidden around the house. Now, _normal_ people have stashes of sweets or maybe even liquor stored around the house. _Tai_ , on the other hand, has hidden caches of different medical equipment in almost every room. Weird, right? To be fair… he _does_ have to deal with his daughters on a daily basis and all the destruction they cause. I have to admit that I'd rather have stashes of med shit than power tools and nails hidden everywhere around the house.

You can't even _imagine_ just how many times entire walls go missing because of those two…

I'm hopeful that the boxes he'll undoubtedly shuffle out with will contain gauze, bandages, tourniquets and all that other medical shit as opposed to… I dunno… cookies or something. My imagination isn't running at full power 'cause in case you can't tell, I'm a little _preoccupied at the moment._ Thankfully, I was spared from my mind and worry _just_ in time to witness Taiyang's **award winning** entrance!

As he burst through the door opposite me and my newfound charge, boxes explode in every direction. Rubber medical gloves fall onto the floor making a path behind him as he rushes his way forward and the boxes he _did_ manage to keep in his arms wobble unsteadily, unsafely blocking his vision and his no doubt panicked expression.

"QROW! I got everything I could, how bad is it man?!" What a caring friend I have. I knew I stuck around here for a reason.

"And you girls BETTER NOT be PEEKING down here! It might be bloody and you _know_ I don't want you seeing these things until you're at least enrolled in the academy! Especially if it's as bad as I'm thinking it'll be!" Taiyang bellows uncharacteristically in a fatherly attempt to preserve the girls' innocence.

Ah yes, I now remember why I stick around. My two adorable _cheeky_ nieces. They hardly ever listen to Taiyang and always listen to me. That bothers Tai and I find it **fucking hilarious** too. A win-win situation, honestly. Well… for _me._

"Calm down a bit, Tai. You might end up needing Yang's help for this one. And by the way, it's not for me. It's uhm… for someone else…" I trail off, casting a look at the somehow still alive youth barely hanging on in my arms, his head now lolling to one side with a foggy look in his eyes. My statement _obviously_ prompts Taiyang to get a move on, finally reaching an end table next to the couch which he sets all his medical boxes down onto. With a now unobscured vision he looks to me, still by the broken as fuck front door with confusion evident on his face.

"What do you mean 'not for me'? If it's not for you then who…" At first he's sounding pretty indignant about being rushed from his study only to not have a patient, but he trails off after noticing how grim my face was. Oh, and he probably _also_ noticed the dying child in my arms. That would most likely shut a lot of people up, I imagine.

He stares at me and the kid in my arms for roughly 10 seconds with the blankest expression I've ever seen him make. It was honestly pretty unnerving… especially since he's for the most part a very easy person to read.

"Holy shit Qrow… Put him on the couch! NOW! HURRY UP WE DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!" Well, there's the Tai that I know so well. After setting down the kid with as much care as I could, I realize something about Tai must have changed, at one time or another. Something in him had to have sparked because now he's barking orders with all the confidence of a head surgeon in his 15th year of experience. "YANG, GET DOWN HERE I'M GOING TO NEED SOME HELP. BRING DOWN THE IV WHEN YOU COME DOWN STAIRS TOO, WE'RE GONNA NEED IT! RUBY, I NEED YOU TO STAY UPSTAIRS, YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO SEE WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN!"

When a "YES DAD/DY!" is heard from the stairway quickly followed by loud thumping, no doubt my niece running towards where the IV was hidden, I pretty much marked the boy as saved in my mind. I have faith in Tai's skills. As I begin to sit down in my recliner with full view of the impending operation, I hear Taiyang attempt to interrupt me.

"I'm gonna need YOUR help too, Qrow. Get off your ass and get over here." He orders me. Since when did he get to order me around?

"I haven't even sat down yet, for your information…" I mutter under my breath indignantly, only seconds before I cave completely to the demand. There's nothing really stopping me from helping, I already went this far for a kid I've never met. What's an extra mile at this point?

"What do you need me to do?" I ask semi-curiously with a sigh trailing soon after. I begin to take a swig of my precious whisky when Tai turns to me and responds, me being halfway through the action. You can see where this is going.

"I need you to take off his pants, Qrow."

 ***PFFFFFBBBTT***

In response to Tai's _perfectly normal request_ I choke on my drink and subsequently send it flying in a majestic display of amber colored mist directly onto both him and most of the surrounding area. Now I'm coughing, trying not to drown on dry land is difficult, lemme tell ya. But, like, you want me to _what?!_

"You, uh….. I… No thanks?" I'm truly at a loss right now. What else could I possibly respond with?!

"Shut up Qrow, we don't have time for this. I need access to his leg so I can apply a tourniquet and stop the bleeding enough for treatment. Now get to it." Tai ordered back sternly, wiping his face and arms off. Guess I _seriously_ have no choice unless I want the kid to bleed out. Here goes everything.

"I can honestly say I never thought I'd see myself removing a kids pants Tai… look at what you've made me become, you dirty old man." I say in an attempt to make light of the situation. But of course, he ignores me. He's kinda busy, to be fair.

This was when Yang made her entrance. Bounding down the stairs with hurry, golden hair flying wildly behind her and the IV rack banging on every stair behind her on the way down as she dragged it. If I try, I can also see the tiny little face of my other niece, Ruby, poking down from the top of the stairwell watching curiously with silver eyes. Sneaky little brat.

Yang makes an arc around the room, coming to a stop next to her father Tai and without needing a prompt turns green at the sight taking up the family's couch.

"Umm, here you go Dad. I-Is he gonna be okay? That's a lot of blood…" That's a really good question there, Yang. Even I don't know the answer right now. As much as I trust Tai and his skills in wrapping teammates up… this seems like a bit of a **delicate** situation. "And why is Uncle Qrow taking his pants off?"

Oum Damn It. Of course she'd not just ignore it for the sake of Uncle Qrow's dignity. Fuck me, right?

"I'm sure he will, as long as you promise to help me as much as you can!" Answers Taiyang with confidence only _he_ would have in such a situation. Even though he _sounds_ completely sure, I can see a light sheen of sweat on his brow. He's nervous, but not willing to give up it seems. Good.

"I'll do my best! We'll save whatshisface together!" She says with an adorable fist pump, jostling her hair. Her eyes were shining with confidence I can safely say comes from Tai.

"That's my girl!" Said Tai proudly, laughing slightly at his daughters' antics while joining her fist pump with one of his own. It was after this that both Father and Daughter turn to me with expecting looks on their faces. Taiyang then said something that got me a little nervous. That, I'll admit to.

"Qrow, we have the IV, the needles, bandages and everything else we need for an operation this intense. We're only missing _one. Tiny. Little._ _ **Thing…**_ " He's really starting to creep me out with that face of his.

"Uh… and what would this thing be…?" I'm not sure if I wanna know the answer, to be perfectly frank.

"Blood." They answer in unison. Shit, fuck.

"Blood from me?!" I ask in disbelief. "I can't believe this!" Told you.

"Well, yeah man. Your O- blood type is the only one that will for sure be compatible with the mystery kid." When he says it like that it makes sense… but I still don't like it!

"So give us your blood." Now I'm _sure_ he's asking like that just to fucking irk me. How troublesome. These two blondes are nothing _but_ troublesome.

"Stop saying it like that and get it over with already, will ya?" I answer irritably, giving my consent to the two soon-to-be blood-suckers.

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Tyler's POV µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

The veil of darkness on my mind gradually lifts, leaving me to regain the feeling of my body.

'Ugh, dude! I feel like I got ran over by a bus… Oh wait. I _DID_.' I am one snarky ass bastard if the first thing in my waking mind is a joke of how I got _ran the fuck over._ That's good though, the snarky usually live. I suppose I _could_ try to open my eyes right now… _or_ I could listen to the conversation happening right next to me. Decisions, decisions…

"So, let me get this straight. First, you get a text from Ozpin telling you to go to the Northern tip of Patch. _The island we all live on._ " Voice number 1 questions.

"Yep." Answers back voice number 2, this one being Qrow. Seriously I don't know If I could _ever_ mistake him. How the hell does he manage to do recon missions with such a distinct voice?

"That at least answers why you bolted out of your classroom… Anyway, second you get there and find a kid napping around 800 meters to the west of the-" My hearing cut out just now. Guess I'm still recovering if the ringing in my ears is any indication. Luckily the ringing stops just as suddenly as it started. " _This kid,_ the one on my couch. You go to tear him a new one, only to find out that he's already got seven new ones in his torso. **And** a mauled leg on top of all that." The second voice, _probably Taiyang_ if I had to guess, is sounding really done with Qrow's shit right now.

"Yeah." Qrow is beginning to sound pleased that Taiyang is getting annoyed. Cheeky shit.

"Then you unlock his aura, give him a flask of whisky, tell him he's tough and burst through my door yelling at me to help him." I can _feel_ how exasperated Tai is at this point.

"Yes. Yes I did." Man does Qrow sound proud as hell. I'm beginning to get a feel for the type of dynamic these two powerhouses share between themselves. It's pretty entertaining, even with all the dull soreness I'm feeling right now.

"I have a question." Tai's tone just changed on a dime. Wonder where he's going with this?

"Aaand that question would be…?" Qrow trails off lazily, hoping for the interrogation to be over shortly.

"How come after Yang and I finished the operation on the boy did you immediately proclaim that he was going to be a huntsman. You even went as far as to say he would live here with us… does this have _anything_ to do with-" Tai's questioning was interrupted by a loud banging sound. My guess is Qrow might not like the topic at hand very much, and that he was the culprit of the sound.

"Tai." Oh yeah Qrow is _pissed the fuck off_ right now dude. "You know better than to say her name around me. I made you fuckin promise not to say it." Is Qrow choking up right now? I get the feeling something non-canon happened… which makes sense, honestly. This shit ain't no show anymore. Things are different.

"And _I_ told you what happened to that girl _wasn't_ your fault! You might have unlocked her aura, but Sharon Chartreuse was a bad egg from the beginning. You need to stop blaming yourself for what she did. Besides, you ended it anyway, didn't you? She can't hurt anyone anymore because of you. You should be proud!" Tai finished with a strong conviction in his voice. This argument is really passionate... maybe I should let them know I'm awake?

'I should start putting effort into opening my eyes… I'm not sure where this is gonna end if I let them continue.' My thoughts ended with me trying and failing to announce my consciousness. Damn shitty closed eyes.

"Proud of what? That I killed a woman? She might have been a shit of a person, but she wouldn't have been dangerous in the first place had I not given her aura. Tai, just please stop. I have to make sure that he doesn't turn out the same. You know what my semblance does… I have to make sure it doesn't affect the kid like it did Sharon…" Holy shit this is a lot deeper than I thought. What does he mean 'affect me the same way'? Am I gonna be okay…? Nah, no use worrying about it now. Whatever _could_ happen would've happened by now. Probably.

Finally opening my eyes, I look around the wooden house noting that I'm on a couch with an IV in my arm. Jesus, I'm wrapped up like a fuckin Christmas present… but then again I guess with 7 bullet holes I can't really complain about that, huh? Looking around the room I notice Qrow and Tai sitting at a side table placed along the opposing wall, still going at it with their soul-bearing conversation. Qrow is wearing what the show usually depicts his outfit to be while Tai stands as the outlier. Sitting at the table he's sporting a blue t-shirt, basketball shorts and fuzzy pink bunny slippers. Interesting choice there, dude. Not like I can say anything really, it's his damn house.

Having tuned out of the conversation, it was really getting too personal for me to feel comfortable eavesdropping on, I get comfortable. Ya boi is about to make an entrance from the seat of his blood-stained pants. Tearing out the IV _gently,_ I prop my right arm up on the armrest and do my best to look casual, which at this point is a lot harder to do than you might think what with being covered tightly in bandages. Once I'm comfortable I look over to them once more and prepare to take the dive.

"You know…" I start with a shit-eating smile blossoming across my face. This causes them to both immediately stop their conversation and snap their attention towards me. "I actually wouldn't mind being a huntsman! I've wanted to be one for a long time now any way. If you wanna make sure I become one, go right ahead! Oh, thanks for unlocking my aura too, stranger. Appreciate it." I finish nonchalantly as if I didn't almost die.

Could've been better but whatever. My voice sounds a bit weird too… I'll have to see a mirror soon, but I'm not _too_ worried about it. I still sound like a guy so I consider myself safe.

"Why do you two look so shocked? I'd say it would at least have been a couple days since I passed out, with how bad a shape I was in. That's pretty normal, right?" I'm honestly kind of confused… they're both just staring at me like I took a shit in the middle of Times Square.

Finally, Tai is the one to regain his bearings first. As he clears his throat Qrow chuckles at my unflappable personality and follows with taking a swig of his drink. They both get up from the chairs in unison and take a stroll to be right in front of me.

"Well, yea that _would_ be normal if you woke up after a few days. But _you_ didn't. It's been like, 12 hours since you got patched up…" Tai says this all with a straight face… I think I'm about to get interrogated. Shit.

"Well… I see your point, I guess. I've never healed that fast in my life. But doesn't aura help with that or something? Red eyes said I had a lot of it on the beach…" I'm both grilling them for info and keeping the fact I know both their names from them at the same time. God damn I'm good.

"He told me the same thing kid." Taiyang started, staring at me semi-suspiciously. "But most souls aren't strong enough to heal injuries that significant in the amount of time you've had. A study done in Atlas said that something like 0.4 percent of the unlocked population had the strength of soul alone to achieve something like that. And that's theoretical at best. That would make you a pretty rare breed." He finishes his tirade to himself with a nod, apparently believing that my 'mystery healing' was solved. It's always good to know that Tai is a medical nerd. I'll just file that info away for later.

"THAT'S SO COOL! I dunno what all that means really, but does that mean he's like super _ultra-_ special then daddy?!" A light, squeaky voice asks with obvious awe. I think it migh-

All of a sudden from the corner of my vision zooms a blur of red, immediately anchoring herself to Tai's waist. The blur named Ruby Rose is followed by a much slower and nervous looking Yang.

Man, both of them are a lot shorter than in the show, like super _tiny._ Weird.

'Okay, I'll admit it. Yang and Ruby are straight up _adorable!'_ I admit to myself, lowering my wall of bullshit just enough to accept the fact. With wide silver eyes, hair drawn back into a tiny pony tail, and Beowolf print footie pajamas Ruby was easily 10/10 daughter material. Next to her was Yang, busy playing with her hands, she stood there in orange sweatpants and an oversized lilac t-shirt. Her long as fuck hair was also in a pony tail which, I have to say, was pretty cute. I notice she's trying to avoid my eye contact, so imma have to find out why.

I'm a nosy bastard like that. Literally, now that I think about it.

"Soooo kiddo, what's your name anyway? I can't really be bothered to keep calling you boy in my head…" Qrow chimes in finally, but he just _had_ to bring up the big question, didn't he? Fuckin prick.

"Uhhhh." I begin with all the intelligence of a sack of used toasters. "Well… what are yours? I don't know any of you." And finish with a clapper. Hopefully this gives me time to think up a name. I can't really give them _mine,_ now can I?

'It's gotta have something to do with a color right? That's what that whole war shit was for, I'm sure of it. Now what character has a color in their name that doesn't sound suspicious…' Yet another good question. We're full of those around here, apparently!

'Monkey D. Luffy? Nah, not feeling it, really. Nathan Goddamn Drake? Tempting, tempting… Dean Winchester? Nope, Cardin's existence ruins that for me. Or does it…?' As they start the introductions, I phase my thoughts to the back of my mind.

"Pretty good point there boy. Name's Qrow." He's trying to be aloof, it's funny because it's kinda working. How is his cape fluttering inside? So many questions.

"I'm Taiyang Xiao Long, these two are my daughters Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long. Say hi to him girls." Tai says, punctuating the girls' introduction with a pat one the respective girls head. Nice guy, really.

"Hi I'm Ruby!" This smile of hers is a smile to be protected. My big bro mode has been activated. "WANNABEFRIENDS!?" Good thing I'm fluent at LOUD.

" _Best_ friends!" I respond to her with a big smile, squinted eyes and a small fist pump. Basically you could say I pulled a Naruto. I'm sure this made her day because following this she let out a squee and started hopping around the room. That made me smile even more, who could keep icy in the face of something like that?

Finally we come to the uncharacteristically shy blondie of the room. Wonder what her deal is?

"My hands were inside you!" She shouts. Immediately her lilac eyes widen and her hands slam over her mouth, face going cherry red. We lock in awkward eye contact. Everyone in the room has their jaws on the floor. Especially _me,_ for obvious reasons.

"..."

".…."

".…."

".…. **Uhhhh** …. why did you-" My questioning was once again interrupted by a waterfall of uncontrolled details falling out of her mouth.

"Well Dad wanted my help to patch you up but once I got the IV and came downstairs you looked like, _really hurt._ He said that without my help he wouldn't be able to save you so I did my best! I helped him take out the bullets, clean everything out and then I made sure you were wrapped up tight! Now I'm nervous to talk to you because Ithinkyou'recuteandIwasn'tsupposedtosaythat!" As she 'finishes' she burns an even brighter red, now covering her entire face with her arms in embarrassment. Ah, it seems my 'skill', the charisma multiplier, has followed me. Interesting.

That being said, holy fuck dude, I didn't see that coming at ALL. She's a lot more like Ruby than in the show, to put it into words. Kinda like a verbal train wreck, but funny.

I gauge the reaction of what just happened with those present. Ruby was confused, of course, but the real gold came from the adults of the room.

A resounding slap echoed through the room with Taiyang's facepalm being the culprit. It was immediately followed by Qrow having a fit of uncontrolled laughter, snorts and gasps abound. He must have seriously enjoyed that, he's clutching his damn gut like it's gonna burst. What he says between fits clues me in though.

"Man Tai, she's acting almost _exactly_ like you did the first time you met my sister!" I swear he has tears in his eyes right now, seriously! Tai can only really groan in response.

I believe it's time to help Tai get a bit of payback on this cheeky fuck, yeah? _Oh yeah._

"You think I'm cute?" I ask Yang, my face one of bewilderment. Seeing her look up and nod slightly before retreating back into her Fort-of-Arms. Time to put my plan into action.

"I think you're cute too! I especially like your hair, it's blonde and I think it's super awesome in that ponytail!" Cue sparkling eyes, handsome smile, and shameless personality.

I think her blush got darker, but it must not have been a bad thing because she came out of her makeshift cover and started petting her hair absentmindedly like it was a prize-winning pure-bred dog. That shy smile she put on was absolutely adorable too.

Looking back at the adults I find the situation reversed. Qrow is now hunched over, looking like he's nursing a headache and Tai is turned to him with a wide, smug smile stretched over his stubbly face. What he says next sparks one of the best plans I've ever come up with to date.

"Man, Qrow! He's acting just like you when you met any female at the academy… Kidding! You still act like that." This was of course followed by laughter. I mean come on, instant karma like that is hilarious!

"Alright alright alright, shut it Tai, I'm pretty sure the boy here was just about to tell us his name. _Right?_ " He said, now sounding tired of Tai's shit. Here goes everything. I might have to wait a bit to give the 'god-damn' part of my name reveal, but this should do nicely.

"The name's Victor Arcadia Sullivan. Call me Sully, yeah?" I finish with a grin, smug with myself. I managed to have a badass name and put in a color that's a bit different. They're all staring at me with wide eyes… did I pick an ugly name or something? Now I'm getting worried…

"That's… a-" Taiyang was immediately cut off by the two girls in the room.

"Such a COOL NAME!" Ruby and Yang gushed in unison, all traces of embarrassment replaced with excitement for the latter.

"They're right kid, it's a strong name if nothing else. Nice." Did Qrow just compliment my new name? I can feel fanboy crawling on me again… oh god no! SAVE ME! Anyway let's move on. Seriously though I'm happy my name doesn't stand out like my real one would've. Incognito and all that shit.

"So, where's your family Sully? They oughta be worried about you like crazy right now…?" Always with the fucking questions Qrow, I swear. This is gonna be so awkward with the girls here man.

"Eheh, well about that… I… don't really have one?" At the silence from the adults and the slight intakes of air from the girls I continue. "I never did. I guess that makes me an orphan, huh?" Sad that it was true in my original world too. At my 'confession' Ruby becomes a teary-eyed missile and envelopes me in a hug the tightest her tiny form can manage. Yang, ever the strong blondie, follows soon after. She's good at hiding it, but I still heard a few sniffles coming from her. Nothing can hide from the All-Seeing-Sully. Aside from my jokes, I'm one hundred percent sure that missing parents is a soft spot for the both of them… Yang more so than Ruby. Says a lot about how mature she is that she tries not to display how much it hurts. Both adults looked on silently, still seeking info about how I ended up in the state Qrow had found me in. I'm only too happy to oblige, 'Pardner'. Time to work a special brand of magic…

"I don't even really remember how I got on that beach. The last thing I remember before that was walking home with my friend, an old man named Joe. I guess he would be the guy that took care of me? He's been around longer than anyone. He helped me pay the rent sometimes and made sure I ate, but I didn't feel comfortable asking for much more than that…" Pausing to gauge the adults' reactions, I see them both look thoughtful. With a nod from them I continued my masterpiece of mixed truths.

I can't just give out every detail at the first conversation. I'm not a slut, thank you.

"When we were walking we took a shortcut through an alleyway. It wasn't a very smart idea because someone with mint green hair ended up shooting us both to pieces… Joe didn't make it." I can't really stop the tears from coming. That old fuck actually was my best friend after all. The girls are holding me tighter now, Ruby wrapped around my side and Yang with her head under my chin. "Everything gets blurry after that. I remember something… weird opened up and a lady with a lot of black hair and this ugly white mask stepped out. I also remember a lot of pain in my leg before she managed to get to me. She said _something_ , but I blacked out before I heard whatever it was…" And so ends my 'back story'. Not bad, right? Fuck I hope they don't question me too much about it.

At the reference to the 'mystery girl', obviously Raven, Qrow's eyes almost pop out of his head. After a startled cough, he takes a couple large gulps of his drink and sighs heavily. I'm guessing he accepted, at least that I believe, that Raven actually _helped_ me out of the _'kindness'_ of her heart. Doubt it, honestly… Either I managed to charm her with my 'skill' while bleeding out, or she genuinely finds my existence interesting. That would make me her 'entertainment', nothing more. In all reality the second one is much more likely.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Joe sounds like he was a good man… And girls, loosen up a bit will ya? I think he's starting to suffocate a little." Tai says, thank fuck too it was actually starting to hurt. With double the pout on both their faces they let go reluctantly, instead deciding to sit up against me on the now blood-stained piece of furniture. I should apologize for that, shouldn't I?

"Thanks, he really was a cool old guy. But Uhhh… Sorry for getting blood on your couch by the way..." Kind of embarrassing to apologize for getting life liquid everywhere. Not a fan 4/10 wouldn't do it again. Thankfully he just waves my apology off with a chuckle, mirth fresh in his eyes at my apology.

"No problem, you'd be surprised how often we replace that couch. That's our fifteenth one this year!" Why does he sound so happy about that? Furniture is fucking expensive! I see him elbow Qrow in the side, prompting him to speak instead of stand there like a stoic lamp shade.

"Ooof- Uhh, so… you… don't have anywhere to really _go_ … right?" Not in this world I don't, dude. I wonder if he's going the direction I think he is... it might be the perfect time to enact the greatest plan of the century!

"Nope!" I answer succinctly, remembering to pop the P as RWBY characters do. This gets a giggle from little Ruby next to me and a smirk from the little dragon named Yang. I notice Qrow gulp a bit… is he nervous?

"Well, uh, you know you can stay here if... if you want?" It was more of a question than a statement. It's almost like he's got a lot riding on this, given the fact he immediately starts to take a drink from his flask. I decide its time to unleash my master plan.

Are you **fucking** ready?! It is about to go DOWN SON!

".… You got it DAD!" Cue a perfect spit take from contestant Qrow, truly 10/10 material there. Stunning, really. While he's choking on his hands and knees on the floor, I take stock of the other contestants. Tai is busy bracing himself on Qrow's back, laughing his lungs out. Both the girls were giggling at Qrow, meanwhile I had a Shit Eating Grin ™ on my face the entire time, chuckling to myself.

"D-dad?! Who, me?!" Qrow splutters, eyes popping out of his head. Finally, Tai gets his shit together and begins dragging the dying bird out the front door.

"C'mon, you heard him Dad! Let's go and get all that paperwork we need! You're a father now, _sucker!"_ As the door slams shut, I can only think that Tai might be having a bit too much fun with this… it's kind of creepy. The door opens once more and Tai's head peeks past it. Guess he forgot something?

"Before I forget, Yang, you're in charge. We're gonna be gone to the courthouse for a while, so keep out of trouble. Sully, you had some things on you that I left on the counter in the kitchen, just ask Yang if you need help getting around. There are some clothes on the side table for you, since your others were ruined." I can literally see Qrow behind him in a headlock trying to kick Tai's ass. "Any way, I love ya girls! Stay safe!" And with that his face is gone and the door slams shut once more.

Tai just left for the Courthouse in fuzzy pink bunny slippers.

Well it seems my plan has worked perfectly. Now, I have to **not** be mostly _naked._ I was starting to wonder why there was such a nice breeze inside the house. I look to either side of me where I find Yang and Ruby, both looking towards me expectantly.

"So, uh… you wanna leave so I can get dressed?" I ask, this time honestly a little seriously. What Yang says next though changes my mind a bit.

"Why? We've already seen you in your underwear, what's the difference?" Actually a good point, now that I think about it…

"Good point, actually." This gets a giggle from Ruby, who's now bouncing around the coffee table in front of us, pony tail bobbing with each hop. I guess she was always a rambunctious person even before she unlocked her semblance. Cool beans. "Well if you two are gonna stick around can you help me get dressed? I dunno if I can stand by myself yet." There's no plan here, I just honestly might need help. My leg got ran over by a fucking Grey Hound, don't make fun of me.

"I-if you say so… here, I'll help you stand. Ruby can get the clothes Dad left for you. Right Ruby?!" Yang seems a little embarrassed by my request. Thought you said it was no big deal hotshot? She yells a bit to get Ruby's attention, as she was currently trying to pet one of the fish inside a tank near the door. Now that I'm paying attention, I can safely say that Nora acts like a young Ruby… rest in peace Ren.

"AYE AYE CAPTAIN!" Cuteness level just broke the meter. Anyway, as she runs over to the side table Yang grabs me by the pits and yanks me up to my feet in one motion with a bit of a grunt. This is exactly the kind of tomboy treatment I kinda expected from Yang. She may have medical training thanks to her dad, but in the end she's still as bombastic and strong as I 'remember' her. Good thing my aura healed most of my bullet wounds, if it hadn't I would be in **crippling** pain! Ha! It's funny because my leg got crushed. Fuck me.

I land on the soles off my feet, stumbling forward likely to fall if not for Yang. She grabs my shoulders and steadies me, leaving me surprisingly stable considering how bad my leftie was not even a day ago. Her efforts however, leave us(her) in a predicament. We're now face to face, noses just inches apart. Immediately, a blush starts creeping up her neck. Truly, my Charisma Multiplier is the most dangerous weapon in my growing arsenal. Now, something about me you should know is that I don't like pussyfooting around too much unless it's funny, and it would be even more hilarious if I rushed for what's about to happen.

Time to assert my existence to the front of Yang's mind, kiddos. I end up giving her exactly what she wanted deep down, as I lean in with the speed of a bullet train and leave her with a quick peck on the nose.

"Thanks for catching me there, Yellow!" Turning quickly, my strategy is now complete, leaving Yang to become a blushing puddle while I walk over to Ruby who is now trapped in a white mass that I'm guessing is my new shirt.

"HELP! The Grimm did this to me! IT'S A TRAP!" A shrill yell comes from the covered strawberry as I arrive next to her. I quickly grab her by the shoulders and take the 'trap' off her. While I'm at it, I take the shorts next to her off the floor.

"Never change Ruby, seriously." I say with complete seriousness despite the wide smile on my face. She quickly shoots her head towards me, stars in her eyes.

"You got it Sully! No changing for me!" Man, she idolizes people super easily. Maybe that's why she ends up with a scythe like her uncle in the series? Better try my best not to fuck with that too much. I then give her head a pat and tell her something that sends her to the kitchen with super-sonic speed, even with the lack of her semblance.

"Good chibi, go get a cookie."

Naturally, I became one of Ruby's new most favorite people. With an impossibly loud gasp, she rushes off, leaving me to put on my new black jean shorts. Pulling them on, they fall to my upper shins. Thank Oum too because Victor Goddamn Sullivan don't wear no booty shorts.

Having completed the problem of pants, I'm left pondering what to do with the white long sleeve button up that had Ruby trapped. Should I wear it? _Burn it?_ Nope, I know exactly what to do with it. I tie the sleeves around my waist and leave it there.

"There! Shirts are for chumps anyway. How are people gonna be able to see my new scars through fabric?" You have to admit, I have a solid point. I quickly turn around to Yang for a very important question, but what I see instead is weird. I catch the sight of Yang face-down on the couch. You know, the couch I've been _bleeding on_ for 12 hours or something. This leaves two possibilities. Either she forgot, or she has one fucked up fetish. I can only hope it's the former, for the sake of my innocence. Blood play is a step _too far_ for me. A bit too much yeehaw for this cowboy, if ya know what I'm saying!

I walk over with a slight limp and shake her shoulders in case she's asleep and ask my question.

"You guys got a mirror? I wanna check what's different." Seriously, I'm sure I've been walking around at a reduced height since I got here. I wanna know what the fuck is up. Followed by a muffled squeak Yang lifts a hand and points at a door directly across the room from the front door and mumbles something that vaguely sounds like 'study'. Is she too embarrassed to look at me? That won't do. I'll have to fix it after I check myself out. As I start to walk/stumble my way towards the 'study' I hear a rustle of clothing behind me, making me turn around. To my amusement I see Ruby with a handful of cookies sitting on Yang's back, pushing her further into the couch.

'This little girl just pulled a Castiel on my ass. A Supernatural reference all the way from another dimension. Damn angels, always teleporting and shit.' Pointing at the doorway Yang did I ask Ruby the same question.

"There's a mirror in there, right Little Red?" I got a cute full-bodied nod and a crumb-spitting 'Mmmmmhm!' in response, so I continue my journey.

I open the door and just as I'm about to close it behind me, I turn around and impart some wisdom upon Yang.

"You really shouldn't lay face-down in my blood, Chicky. Just my opinion." I then close the door as quick as I can. Through the wood I hear two loud thumps against the floor, followed by the sounds of a budding argument, which makes me laugh quietly.

Finally calming down I survey the room around me.

'Man, this place is actually _fucking_ _ **MASSIVE.**_ ' Seriously, take my weird thought-words for it. The room was covered wall to wall in bookshelves, crammed full with its name-sake. The only reason this surprised me was because books are fucking _expensive_ dude! To have enough cash to fully stock your own fucking library you have to be loaded! Maybe Tai wasn't lying when he said he can afford to replace the couch every other week… guess the life of a professional Huntsman makes for a 'phat' paycheck. Locked in between two bookshelves was a body-length mirror, my short-time goal was found. Walking over I start to get nervous. What if this inter-dimensional shit changed me in a way I can't fix? Like, Lovecraftian shit?

I'm standing in front of the mirror now, my nerves having successfully made me steel-over my heart… just in case. Finally casting my gaze upon the person in the reflection, I let loose a breath of relief. The face in that mirror is still the same, just a version I haven't seen in fuckin YEARS. If I had to throw out a number… I'd probably say 14? Shit, that puts me smack in the middle of puberty. Well, at least I still look like me, right?

Casting an analytical glance over all that is me, tanned skin greets my eyes right back. I also can't help but notice the few 'additions' I've gotten since my time here started. Some cool, some not. I still have my thick shoulder-length brown hair, defined jaw and sea green eyes, much to my relief. The only change to my _face_ seems to be two tentacle looking tattoos just under my eyes, coincidentally also solidly colored sea green. Honestly, I think they're cool as fuck! My eyes trail down my thick neck, wide shoulders and to my torso, where the most changes have happened. Well, that and my right arm, but that'll come after all the bullet wounds. I have to take time removing the bandages, of which there are an absolute fuck ton, but what I see is worth it. A total of Seven of them are littered across my chest. The first, just beneath my left collarbone. The second, the middle of my left peck. The third, just below my right peck. The fourth, slightly off from the middle of my right peck. The fifth, right next to the last in a diagonal formation. The sixth, hit me in the left of my torso, more damaging my abs than anything else. The seventh, and final, bullet had penetrated directly to the left of my heart. Each one is dry of blood and, to me, look healed. Dangerous little shits, they are. Obviously I just had tremendous luck on my side, because I'm still kicking even after all that.

When I said that my right arm had changed, I meant that I don't remember having a mostly full-sleeve tattoo of a badass pissed-off octopus. The entire head takes up my shoulder, angry lines on its forehead and deep, sunken burning orange eyes are nearly the only colorful thing about it. The tentacles coming down from my shoulder like a beard wrapping around my arm are the stock 'tattoo green' that most people have. The only difference is that every sucker on the tentacles shine a soft blue. There's really only one thing that I think could cause this.

With the activation of my aura, maybe my vigor evolved? An interesting thought for sure, but only time would tell. For now, I just have an absolutely _sick,_ absolutely _free_ tattoo. I'm happy enough with that.

Going even further down, past the tied shirt and black shorts I see my legs remained the same, a bit shorter obviously because of my age. But other than the cloth covering my left leg I'm fine. Standing at 5'9", I'm sure to get to my previous height of 6' even with all the intense exercise in my future… I might even reach the monstrous height that the old man used to hold over me, but it's unlikely. A quick peak down the front of my shorts, just to be **absolutely sure** nothing too major changed left me satisfied, my quest now completed.

Now to get my shit from the kitchen. I need my stuff for creature comforts, dawg.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

'I didn't know Ruby could handle Yang like that. For how small she is she sure pinned down her sister like it was nothing!' My shock was justified. Seeing those two wrestle across the living room was like watching a pay-per-view program! I can't let that distract me right now though, as I see a pile of items I recognize on the kitchen counter. Walking up to them the first thing I notice is my… **our** lace necklace with a brass fish on the end. Immediately putting it on I can't help but start to remember… but I cut myself off quickly.

'There'll be time later for that… Not right now.' I think to myself, now slightly melancholy from the path where that memory leads. The second thing I notice is my now depressingly useless keys. Car, house, all worthless to me now. I'll figure something out to do with them eventually. My wallet also joins my keys in my pocket, the useless money following. Next to them in a neat pile were all seven bullets Tai and Yang dug out of me, sitting innocently on the counter. Safe to say, they were immediately pocketed with a mental note to turn them into a necklace. They'd make an awesome conversation piece. The only thing left, worryingly enough, is a bracelet I only just recognize. Held together by tough leather lace, it's decorated by brown wooden and tarnished brass beads, each with a steel band around it. It's also very notably owned by that shitty old man… one of his most treasured possessions, in fact. He always had it on him and never wanted to talk about it, much like I am with my necklace. All of a sudden, I'm hit with a wave of sadness. My eyes are even watering.

To sneak something as important as this into my pocket, probably while I was carrying his ass after the thief shot us… I always knew he was a sneaky bastard. But that leaves the question of why he would do this in the first place. If he thought we were both going to die, why bother?

… Did Joe know something was going to happen? That would be impossible. Right?

Thoughts for later. Pushing my mind back to what's at hand, deftly pulling the bracelet onto my right wrist I notice something's missing from the pile of possessions. Two things, actually.

My watch and bandanna aren't here. Maybe… they got left behind at the beach? It's as good a place as any to look, right? Of course I'm right. Time to gather the troops.

Walking through the archway of the kitchen into the living room where the wrestling bout of the century was being held, I notice a distinct lack of yelling. Instead it's replaced with heavy, tired panting.

"Guessing you finished the match, then?" I say with a chuckle, answered with twin groans from the lumps of tiredness on the floor in front of me, both lying on their backs and sucking in air greedily.

"Well, I have a bit of a mission for us. I'm missing two things that are important to me, and I'm pretty sure they got left behind at the beach Qrow found me at. I need to get them back, so who's up for a trip to the beach? … And uh, do you know where the beach is, by the way?" I almost forgot that I don't know where the fuck the beach is. That would've been embarrassing. Hearing my question, they both pop up from their position face-down on the wooden floor, instead opting for cross-legged.

"I remember Uncle Qrow and Dad saying something about the North Shoreline after we got you fixed up… that's probably where he found you. We could make a day out of it since it's an early Saturday." Yang came up with some pretty solid reasoning. Logic at its finest, babe.

"GASP, are we going to the BEACH!? I love the beach! I'll go get my floaties!" Ruby's cuteness could only be enhanced with floaties my dude. It might even be deserving of a head pat, because good chibis get head pats. I'll have to just ignore that she SAID the word 'gasp'. Turning my gaze to Yang as Ruby bolts up the stairs in a search for beach equipment, I catch her gaze as well. She gets to her feet, walking to me and with a hand gently placed on my chest and does something that never would have crossed my mind.

"Guess I'll go get my beach wear too, Sully." She says quietly in my ear, then landing a critical blow in the form of a big smooch on my cheek. As she turns and saunters up the stairs, I can only think one thing.

'Shit… now _I'm_ the blushing puddle. Fucking damn it, this is a war for **both** sides now.'

Then I wait for the girls to come back to begin our new quest.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

We're already on the beach, we've just been following the shore so I can find the area I remember hitting face first. Things are gradually looking familiar, but I mean it's a fucking _beach._ An extremely clean beach at that, so there isn't much in the way of land marks. Feeling just a bit cheeky, I start humming the words to a certain song that I happen to like quite a bit.

 **Play Post Malone – Deja Vu**

It's honestly not too bad of a song if you can get past that irrational hatred of Justin Bieber you had when you were like 12.

As for why _that_ song in particular is currently stuck in my head… I mean _come on._ Déjà vu? Going back to somewhere I've been before? It doesn't get anymore expressly perfect than that!

Before I can stop myself, I start belting off a line here and a line there, not even taking into account my company or what they might think of it. Eventually, the song ended in my mind, and I was left completely brain dead for approximately 3 seconds. After those seconds… dread washed over me like ice water.

That song has curse words.

…

 _Ruby is with me as a legit_ _ **child**_ _._

Slowly, I turn back to see the sisters still walking along with me, Yang looking more than amused and even a bit 'impressed'. Ruby on the other hand, has furrowed eyebrows and an intense look of thought on her face.

"The tune you were humming was nice… but those were a lot of bad words…" Fuck. Yang's hand shoots quickly to her mouth in a terrible attempt to hid the laughter that I'm sure is just begging to be let free. Despite her laughing at me digging my own grave, I'll just have to ignore it for now. At the moment, I'm far more focused on how exactly I'm gonna get out of this.

The truth? Completely _buried_ in sugar? I mean, I've got nothing to lose by trying.

"I always thought cursing was fine if you used it in an artistic way, like a song or if it's just funny." This wasn't a lie or anything. Ya boi actually thinks that. That's a bit of a romanticized reason to put behind the fact that I curse like a sailor, but I'll stick with it.

"So cursing is fine as long as it's artsy fartsy or funny?" So innocent, Ruby is.

"And as long as you don't do it too much in front of your dad or other adults, but yeah." I answer back honestly.

"Are we there yet shitty?" She asks towards Yang, innocent as can be.

Oh. Oh god… what have I done? It's both not funny _and_ it's being used badly. I forgot how young and impressionable she is. I think I fucked up.

Quite audibly, Yang chokes on her fucking spit.

"Pffa- Uhm… I-I'm pretty sure we're almost there Ruby. Just a bit further." Yang says completely caught off guard, trying to placate the now bored and potty-mouthed Ruby.

Looking back on it, when they both came back downstairs, I was honestly pretty shocked. More at Yang's choice of beach wear than that of Ruby, but it all stands the same. Ruby came down first, clad in a frilly red and black one piece with a giant depiction of a, you guessed it, rose. Coupled with a pair of red floaties on her arms, she got a head pat from yours truly. Yang was just about a knock out when she came down the stairs. Wearing a yellow bikini with a beach skirt wrapped around her waist was enough to catch my eye. She followed up the 'main act' with her hair in a curly ponytail and a white straw hat. On her shoulder she wore a beach bag with towels, sunscreen and a bunch of other shit in it. Both were wearing a pair of flip flops while I opted to go barefoot. Shoes are for chumps, anyway.

"Yang, you're a knockout. Ruby, you're adorable." These were the exact words I said to them.

Given the fact that, when I asked, I was told Yang was 14 and Ruby was 12, I refuse to let my eyes stray. It doesn't matter that I'm now about 14 as well… I would still feel icky about it. Know what I mean?

The good thing about it is that we might be able to start attending Signal in the same year if I bug Qrow enough since he's probably gonna be my 'guardian' now. Small victories amount to big ones, Victor.

"But I want to be there NOW." Ruby whined. "Sully do you see anything familiar yet?" Since I'm in front with the two girls following behind me, I've become something like the lookout for the past hour and a half. The sun high in the sky marks the time as about noon, the perfect time to enjoy the beach. I've had to say no to her for about the same amount of time, but now that were on the actual beach I don't wanna be too hasty with my answer.

Taking the time to survey the shoreline I'm met with calm, clear water clean sand and a rocky outcropping a bit ahead of us. Just as I'm about to say no, a glint of light against the yellow sand stops me right in my tracks. I start running.

"Yeah I think I see something! You two get comfortable, this won't take too long! Pick a nice place!" I yell, now too excited to exercise caution as there is only one thing that could make that light shine in my eyes. It could be just a glass bottle I guess…

Or it could be my watch.

As I get closer and closer to where the ocean meets the beach, I slow down more and more. Not out of tiredness, but more out of confusion.

'Are those fucking _sharks_? _Wearing_ my watch and bandanna on their _fins…_?' Seriously, there were god damn sharks swimming in a pack circle. _Through the motherfucking SAND._ If that wasn't weird enough, two out of the five were wearing my stuff like accessories around their dorsal fins. I have no doubt that these are Grimm, I'm not stupid. But I've never seen these in the show before. Completely stopped in my tracks, now right on the point where ocean and beach meet, I'm at a loss of what to do as the water laps against my ankles.

"Fuck, I'm not an idiot. I don't stand a chance against five of these things, much less two… What should I do?" I wonder out loud. It was immediately obvious I should've internalized my wondering because one-by-one, all five sharks reacted to the sound of my voice. Now lurching in and out of the body of sand I was able to see more of the mystery Grimm. With an all-black body, fins made of bone, external teeth, blood red eyes and a small bone masquerade style mask on the tip of their snout they were supremely intimidating, being the first Grimm I've ever seen with my own eyes. Now they're coming after me.

" **SHIT!** " Now I'm intimidated. I can't run back the way I came because Yang and Ruby are back that way. I'd rather just die than put them in the line of fire. Having to make a quick decision I choose to try and dodge them. Not exactly the best of fucking ideas I've ever had, to try and dodge a fucking pack of sharks, but I'm still a regular home-grown loser with no combat training. I just happen to be home-grown loser with a vigor that I forgot about in a panic.

Needless to say, I got hit. The Sand Shark, as I'll call them, wearing my bandanna lunged out of the sand at around chest height, headbutting me instead of chomping my ass for reasons yet unknown sending me into the salty water with a good bit of force. At this point I'm pretty sure that the entire pack has passed me. This worries me quite a bit, honestly. Why are these Grimm ignoring me like that?

Then I heard a scream that sounds scarily like Ruby. Jumping up out of the water and sending it flying in pockets all around me, I ignore my still healing leg, it's no longer important in my mind. My eyes harden over and shoot towards the direction of the scream only to see the pack that ignored me closing in on them. Ruby is hidden behind Yang, who's prepared to fight them with fists up. It was at this point something overtook me. Next thing I know my tattooed arm is up of its own accord, the burning eyes of the octopus and its suckers lighting up brilliantly against my skin. What happened next made me feel extremely overpowered for this poor planet.

The entire ocean seemed to heed to the call of the beast imprinted on my arm, tentacles and tendrils pouring out of the ocean and zeroing in on the offending pack of death fish. All three of us, Yang, Ruby and even myself can only watch in awe as the tendrils catch up to the Grimm and trap them, coiled like snakes around the offenders. With a slight movement of my arm, all five Sand Sharks are ripped from the sand that is their namesake, now suspended in midair by my deadly minions. With my hand open and pointed at the Grimm, I can only think of one **_seriously badass_** move to use.

I'm gonna pull a Gaara.

Turning my hand into a fist with all the force I can muster, the tendrils begin to follow my example. Before completion I grind out the name of my new forbidden technique.

" **Burial at Sea.** " Complete with gritty voice thanks to one Victor Arcadia Sullivan.

An explosion of rapidly evaporating shark gore rains down from the sky, thankfully missing the girls. My watch and bandanna surprisingly survive the death of their hosts, landing softly with a thump in the sand. As I let my hand fall, every last tendril and tentacle summoned from ocean-chan recedes neatly and near soundlessly, only a slight bubbling accompanying them. The glow on my arms dies down, but never stops completely. Running as fast as I can in the direction of Yang and Ruby, I only slow down briefly to pick up my two missing items, my tattered black bandanna which is then tied around my left bicep and my big brass divers watch, quickly put on my left wrist as I continue my sprint to make sure both the girls are okay. Finally after what feels like ages I reach them and stop in my tracks.

"Are you two okay?!" I ask, slightly out of breath. Both look perfectly fine, but it never hurts to be sure dudes.

"Yeah we're fine, Sully… Uhm... What just happened? It's like the ocean just came alive!" Sounds like they've never seen a semblance quite like what just happened. Good, means I'm unique as fuck. Ruby pops out from behind Yang to nod, showing that she wants to know as well. Guess I'll tell them.

"That, ladies, was my brand-new Semblance. Imma call it Undertow." Hashtag Smug as Fuck. That's right kiddos, it's official. My vigor was massively affected by the presence of aura in my system and evolved even further than what I thought possible. Pretty fucking cool, am I right?

Both the girls' jaws hit the sand at my announcement. Good or bad I wonder? To my surprise, Ruby is the one that voiced her thoughts first.

"THAT'S your semblance?! That's so over powered it's AWESOME! I don't think I've ever even _heard_ of a semblance with that much oomph behind it!" Ah it looks like when it comes to semblances, Ruby Rose is the Izuku Midoriya. Interesting.

"By the way, have you looked at what's up with your foot yet?" What? What do you mea-

"Holy shit that's badass…" Apparently a bit of ocean-chan stayed with me, because the entirety of my left leg up to my knee was covered in a protective boot made of water. Makes sense seeing how I was able to sprint with minimal trouble.

"YAY Sully's a badass!" Cheered Ruby… what have I done? Monty please forgive this pilgrims' transgressions.

"AHEM." Sound off two voices, clearing their throats in a very obvious attempt to get our attention.

Snapping my head up I see a very done Tai and Qrow, both with their arms crossed. They don't seem too pleased at the fact we all left the house. And that we came to the beach at that. Apparently however, it seems Yang had planned for this very situation.

Throwing a towel and a pair of swim trunks to each, black landing squarely on Qrow's face and Beige for Taiyang she quickly followed it up with dropping the bag and rushing for the water, Ruby following behind her closely. Not wanting to be left with the two adults I quickly turn tail and follow, kind of eager to play at the beach myself.

Two groans could be heard as I left them in the dust.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Chapter 2 µµµµµµ END µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 _Surprise fuckos, it was a long ass story with a lot of plot points! How'd you like the single musical portion until we reach the prom and chibi concert? I thought it was pretty funny for what it is, but I was iffy on putting it in._

 _Massive displays of power, a flirting game for dominance, a cursing Ruby Rose(jesus fuck what have I done), an awkward Yang, Medi-Tai and Father Qrow. Lots of shit, boys and girls._

 _Let me know what you think in the comments._

 _Until next time you beautiful fuckers, Shore out._


	3. Swimming Lessons

_*Edited as of 2/7/19. Worth noting that this one didn't need nearly as much revision as the first two did. Enjoy!*_

 _What the fuck is up, all you new people? I'm back with a new dose, get your crack-pipes ready._

 _A quick shout out to everyone that keep on commenting. That gives me a good measure for how people are feeling about the scenes I put in each chapter… and it makes me happy. Shut up I'm not getting sappy._

 _Either way I appreciate it a lot, just saying!_

 _Anyway, let's respond to the last batch of comments I got, right?_

 _Managed Dragoon- I fuckin know, right? The kraken is badass. Thanks for the interest, and cute moments are gonna be surprisingly frequent!_

 _AWPerator- Glad that you like the Qrow Sully thing. They're gonna establish their habits this chapter, so look forward to that dude! I'm actually pretty proud with how their dynamic turned out_

 _0-Tengetsu-0- I'm stoked that you're liking the direction I'm taking, man. I think at this point,_ _ **everyone**_ _has a thing against massive amounts of edge. Me too, dude. The semblance actually gets explained in this chapter, but not completely. I wanna wait until the initiation to debut restrictions and shit, but you get a taste here. Glad you didn't hate the song, too. I'll probably give mood music and shit every now and then, but no 'in-story' lyrics until the prom and the chibi concert. Anyway, his fighting style gets shown off a bit in this chapter too. I might have him do a couple scenes where he does the pressure point attacks for the meme, but no human guts are gonna be seen until probably the Vytal Festival. Hint Hint, If you look through the story, you can find a que as to who's gonna get it! Thanks for the luck man, enjoy the chapter!_

 _Gabrion- Such compliments… you trying to make me blush, dude? Kidding, glad you like it so far, hopefully I can keep on providing! Thanks for the advice, too dude_

 _Raidentensho- Thanks man. Sadly, Sully won't be using a trident. (I did put a cameo for you in this chapter though at Garrett's shop.) Sully's too much of a rule breaker to use something needing as much finesse as a trident. Besides, if I had him use one, he'd feel waaay too much like a Neptune(the RWBY character) clone. He may be scared of water and use a halberd instead, but it would still feel too close for me. Yang will definitely get her kicks on though!_

 _Whynoceolocanth- Glad you aren't barfing at the sight of my boi sully, dude. The mystery and story hints are all over the chapters I got so far, so feel free to analyse it. You might just find something fun._

 _Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch- Thanks dude, I'm an experienced reader so I know what I should avoid for the most part. Imma try and keep Sully like the waves, either calm or rough but always flowing. I've never seen water that wanted to kill itself out of sheer edge before… sooo ya know. Any way, he won't be using a trident as a weapon… but I never said it won't be a plot point… maybe. Keep an eye out later in the story, it might just get good like that._

 _Jesus you fuckers turn me red with all these compliments. Keep em coming, dudes._

 _Are you ready for this shit? Sic em', bois!_

 **Chapter 3 µµµµµµµµ Swimming Lessons µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Man, maybe I shouldn't have filled an entire Monday with whiskey and _no other sustenance._ Then again fuck the police… and bread. Imma be a rebel, so just sit back and accept it! Besides, it made building this little cottage of mine all the more fun!

'And building the graves all the less intrusive. Honestly, such a drag. Am I right or am I right?' Talk about important details, huh? Don't worry, no one's under the neat piles of shoreline rocks I made. Think more symbolism, if you wanna call it anything. As a bit of a monument in _this_ world to the people that made my life livable in the last.

Casting a gaze over the days work, I feel a bit of pride well up inside me. My 'cottage', if you could call it that was nothing more than four posts with a roof made from some huge fuck-off leaves I managed to strip from the plants at the tree line. My very own illegally-built beach shack. Never been more proud to call it a work in progress. By the time I'm done with it, this bitch'll be a full-blown beach house, complete with fishing equipment and maybe even my own dock! The simple dream is real, ladies and gentlemen. Off to the side of my love shack, I've built two stone grave markers. One for good ol' Joe, and the other for someone who was very special to me. Both are no longer with us. Obviously.

Sitting down for a little break in between my two graves, I take a swig of some more 'liver sauce' as I call it, so graciously supplied by my new dad. Without his knowledge. But he's apparently rich as a professional Huntsman, so he'll get over it… probably.

The sun is almost gone, meaning I've been a damn ghost almost the entire day, and have told no one where I am. Good.

I don't want anyone to see me like this. Not even me, actually. Hence the alcohol.

But we can't really have all the things we want, can we?

Hearing rustling at the tree line behind me, I lean nearly all the way back on my elbows and hang my head upside down to get a look. As I kinda expected, it's Qrow. He doesn't really have an expression I can… read. Think it's 'cause of the grave markers? He takes a long look at my work, and _me,_ before speaking.

"This where you've been all damn day kiddo? Been busy." This was all he said. Sometimes I forget that Qrow is a man all to experienced in loss. Even more than me, actually. Guess if anyone would get it, it would be him. Not everyone can develop healthy coping habits… as far as the two of us go in that regard, we're two peas in a fuckin pod.

"Damn right I been busy! C'mon over and pop a squat, Daddo! Got some people I want ya to meet." I pat the ground next to me in-between the graves to invite him. Probably seeing no other option, he does exactly that. As he sits down a couple feet in front of me I offer him the half-empty bottle of drink, causing him to glare at me and take it for himself. Without hesitation he knocks back the bottle, and I then recline on my back.

"So you're the one that stole from my stash… I'll let it go this time. Looks like you put it to good use. Do it again though and I'll rip your liver out through your ass, hear me?" A rhetorical question, I'm sure.

"You got it. I'm not much for hard shit anyway, more of a beer guy y'know?" I blink slightly shocked that he would let me off so easy this time, but take it in stride nonetheless. I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth, whatever the fuck _that_ means. Qrow goes about reclining in the sand too, now mimicking my position to a tee. Guess I should start the introductions.

"Qrow, let me introduce you to two of the most influential people I've had in my life so far." He nods, so I continue. Waving my hand to the grave marker on the left of us, I begin once more.

"To our immediate left, is a giant of a man I had the pleasure of calling a friend. Old Man Joe… he sacrificed himself for me. He died because I wasn't strong enough… or smart enough, to stop it." Don't try and change my mind. No matter what, I'll always have his death on my shoulders. I wouldn't have it any other way, either. Seeing him nod once more, I continue by sweeping my arm into the direction of the other hand-made grave, nearly knocking myself off balance with the simple gesture.

"And to our right, is the woman that was the first friend I ever made. I don't talk about her much, and that's …probably not going to change anytime soon, either." If I was entirely sober I wouldn't have said even that. I would have just stared at the offending grave with a chill calmness that literally sends shivers down my spine. Actually, I probably wouldn't have bothered to throw together the damn thing in the first place to be perfectly honest. Luckily for me, Qrow knows better than to pry into something as personal as this. It took several moments before the silence was broke, this time by him.

"You know, the more I talk to you the more alike we seem." He says, quickly followed by a gulp of the liquor I returned to him. "I'd go as far as to say it's genetic how you're dealing with this if _we_ weren't _us_. Shit, it might as well be anyway." He's rolling up his left sleeve, revealing to me something I never thought I'd see from someone like him… five black rings around his bicep.

"Tattoos, man? Didn't think you were the type, honestly." I gotta say I'm shocked. Never expected him to be 'one with the ink'.

"I'm not, boy. I only got these as symbols of my past. I like to carry them with me where ever I go, so I'll be able to stop myself from making the same mistakes as I did before." Ah, sound logic there. In fact, that gives me an idea. With a glance at my newly fixed watch, a fresh _slightly_ tipsy plan is put into motion. Hopping to my feet, stumbling only a little, I start my way towards where I think the Patch Island docks are.

"Where you going kid?" Qrow asks, still in a laying position in the middle of my personal graveyard, seemingly unwilling to get up just yet.

"Where are _we_ going." I corrected. Seeing his questioning eyes I continue. "It's 8:00 right now, and the last ferry to Vale leaves at 10:00. If we hurry we can make it in time." Despite confusion still being prominent on his face, he goes about getting to his feet.

"Yeah, but in time for what damn it?" He's getting nervous now, sweet.

"For the Tattoo Parlor, Dad. The fuck you think I was talking about?"

A grudging sigh is all I really get in response, followed only by the crunching of the sand as we begin our alcohol fueled mission.

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Xiao Long Residence µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

'Well then… I'm tired as fuck now.' Seriously, it's like 8 AM. It's time for bed, bitch. Sadly, Qrow and I are just getting in the door of the Xiao Long residence, basically dragging each other into the house. We painted the town red, hitting up tattoo parlors, bars, and at the end of it all, the best experience of the night ended up being the 24-hour breakfast joint that was pretty much the alternate dimension version of Denny's.

There's really nothing quite like a shirtless, shitfaced father and son duo pigging out on eggs, sausage, toast and pancakes at 4:00 AM. Collectively, I guarantee that we dropped at least seven forks on the floor while we were there. Also yeah, I'm still refusing to wear a shirt and Qrow lost his when we went to Junior's club, earning him some eyes and a generous amount of smeared lipstick. Surprisingly I didn't get left out of the fun, either. Guess Melanie and Miltia hung around 'The Club' a lot earlier than I thought. They ended up teaching me some interesting information that I didn't know before.

Apparently lip gloss is flavored. Never known a girl that used lip gloss. Cherry and vanilla bean, anyone? Also, scars and tattoos are an intense turn on. Never would have guessed.

Anyway, as both me and Qrow stumble through the front door with all the stealth of a beached whale, I notice a figure in the recliner which was now facing the front door. Ugh, is that really who I think it is?

"Qrow, is that Taiyang?" This gets him to look up from the floor, now observing the drooling man with squinted eyes.

"Probably, if his face would just stay still I'd be able to see him easier. He might've wanted to pull his 'disappointed mom' act and catch us coming in. Don't worry about whispering, he sleeps heavy as shit, kid." With that finished his neck once again goes limp, pointing his head back towards the floor as we lean on each other.

'No fuckin shit, Sherlock. You've been shouting this whole time…' To be fair, I was probably shouting too. I can barely hear anything over the blood rushing in my ears.

I don't feel like standing here anymore.

"I wanna get to bed… think we can make it up the stairs?" I ask my dad with all the seriousness I have left.

"... No." Was all he groans out. Fuck. Good thing there's a ton of furniture in this living room. They have a couch (brand new and free of my blood) and three recliners, one being taken up by Taiyang. This gives birth to my next question as we start co-dependently walking towards the soft land of unconsciousness.

"You're getting a recliner bitch." Never mind, the question evolved into something that wasn't a question anymore. I'm very tired.

"Pfft yeah right kid, you're way too young to challenge me for the right to the couch. Here, I reign supreme. Bitch." Also not a question, but it proves we get along fabulously while drunk off our asses. He then picks me up, slams me down into the recliner and makes a dive for the couch. He lands near perfectly, easily a 9/10, thus proclaiming his reign as King of the Couch… for now…

"Whatever, I wanted the Lazy Boy anyway. Dweeb." Pretty sure he's already asleep. I think I feel like following his example, so promptly I close my eyes and immediately pass out.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

"AHEM!"

"Fuck off." I reply, eyes still closed. Who the fuck do they think they are, waking me up like that?

"You better wake up Sully, Tai looks kinda mad this time." Shit, guess it was Taiyang then. I think I'll have to thank Qrow later for the heads up. Opening my eyes with a _massive_ amount of effort I see Tai standing over both me and Qrow, arms on his hips reminding me greatly of both Weiss and any Tsundere stereotype ever. Qrow still lounging with only one eye open on the couch confirms my thoughts, he's nervous. I am too honestly, if there is anyone you don't want beating your ass, it's Taiyang. He hits fucking hard!

"So. You two were out late. Did you hit up a Tattoo parlor?" 'Baka' is what my mind supplied at the end of that sentence. Just kidding, he might have been actually worried about us.

"No." Both me and Qrow lied directly to his face in perfect synchronization. Is this what it's like to have a family? I really missed out, this shit is fun!

"You both are shit at lying. Besides, since neither of you have shirts, I can see that Sully here has a new one on his shoulder. And his leg too, now that I look at it. I'm guessing you didn't get left out then, huh Qrow?" Man, Tai assumes an awful lot. He's right, but still… have a little faith.

"What makes you think that?" I can see the fucking sweat on your forehead Qrow. I swear, when they're off the job Huntsman are some of the worst liars I've _ever_ seen.

"Because you two hitting the town together is like throwing water on an oil fire, you egg each other on. Besides Qrow, even though it's only been a week or so you can't bring yourself to say no to the kid, can you? You try to hide it, but you actually like being a Dad, don't you ya stoic bastard?!" Tai's getting a pretty good bit of teasing in, and honestly he has a point. Despite my short time as his son, I managed to convince Qrow to go out, get tattoos, and party the night away in fantastic style. What part of that matches something he'd do on his own?

"Shut up, shitty Xiao Long. Like you can tease me about that when you have two daughters." Ah that's my dad, easily the most emotionally in-touch man in the room. On a serious note, that clap-back was impressive, giving me a chuckle at Taiyang's expense.

"Alright you caught us. We got some new ink and ended up partying all night." I admitted, eager to get this over with. I drag myself to my feet, intent on showing him our tattoos so he'll shut up. First I show him my left shoulder.

"Anchors, huh? Going for a theme or something, Sully?" A pretty fair question in all honesty. On my shoulder rested two extremely simple and clean depictions of anchors, next to each other and perfectly level. They were to represent the graves I had built on the beach. Told you I thought Qrow had a good idea.

"I can't clash with my other art, can I?" I say seriously, earning a nod from Tai and a snort from Qrow. He _gets_ it, at least. Next up I pull the left leg of my shorts up to my knee, showing off my new leg band. Two thick rings of ink the same color as my octopus sleeve run around my shin, punctuated on the bottom by a ring of separated triangles all pointing down to the floor.

"This one is to remind me of my injuries. So I'll remember that no matter how strong I get, I can still be killed. Very easily, actually." This one was a very serious matter for me. Keep in mind, my world never had the existence of super powers like aura or semblances. I need to be sure to keep my ego grounded, or else I'll get myself killed. That's just an actual fact.

I look back up to be greeted with a nod from Tai.

"That's very mature, Sully. That's honestly pretty good reasoning. Getting reminded of mortality usually is a pretty bloody affair for most Hunters. The ones fresh out of the academy are always cocky, and that leads to… tragedies." Guess he understands that too. I suppose it makes sense. Most people probably have reasons behind their tattoos, anyway.

"Qrow get your ass up. We need to show the last one off together." I say, grousing him from the couch with a groan.

"Fine, fine kid. Still can't believe you talked me into this."

"It's cool and you know it. I could tell you liked the story when I told you. Besides, what kinda coincidence is it for the story to be about an octopus and a crow?" And with that we both turn around, revealing the stenciled text running along our left shoulder blades.

"So SCP-2967-A for you and SCP-2967-B for Qrow… I don't get it. It looks cool as hell but I don't get it. You said something about a story?" Inquisitive, eh? Good, it's a _cool_ story.

"The story goes that a pretty big example of an octopus was found after it took apart a water filtration system and get to the crabs held in the tank on the other side of the room. This piqued the interest of some secret agency, so they ended up studying him. Over the months of having him, he managed to learn written languages and even understand concepts like hate and love." And just like that, Tai was hooked. Can you blame him?

"Eventually they managed to talk with that octopus, getting a bunch of weird bits of info here and there. At some point, their interviews switched to Levi, what they named the octopus, and he ended up saying something about crows. Not too long after that, a massive crow was found showing the exact same skills as Levi. I don't remember the story exactly after that, but I'm pretty sure they started competing to replace humanity or something." I say, ironically finishing my story without any flair at all. I look to Tai after my story and I'm pretty fuckin sure those are stars in his eyes.

"I… totally get it now." No more questions then? Is it time for more sleep? "How the hell did you get to talking about _that,_ though?" Of course. To be fair though, it's not a bad question. Luckily enough, I wasn't the one to answer this time.

"You know how it goes at bars Tai. One minute you're talking about how disarming short skirts can be and the next you're talking about whatever random myths and monsters you can remember. I told him something about a spooky wizard and he told me about the birds and the octopussies." Qrow answered from his position buried in the couch, more or less completely underselling both of the stories… from what I remember.

What time is it? I feel way too tired to address just _how many_ issues there are with what I think Qrow just said.

"Anyway, I gotta get ready for work. Qrow's still on vacation so he'll be with you, Yang and Ruby today. Later dudes!" With that he rushes up the stairs, probably to the bathroom to take a shower before the work day. What a 'hip and cool' dad. Truly the most youthful of us all. Casting a glance at Qrow I find him once again face-down in the pillows of the couch.

Following his example, I fall back into the embrace of my warm ass recliner. As I'm falling into the land of dreams, I hear Qrow impart some knowledge onto me that gets me kinda excited.

"Later, we're gonna start your training, kiddo."

"Fuck yeah." I think I have another idea. This was my last thought before I succumbed to sleep.

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Qrow's Nest µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

"Alright kiddos, today we're gonna be starting our training. First up will be Yang verses Sully. This is to see how good at hand to hand you are Sully, just so I can get a base level of skill from you. After that, we'll focus on what you want, or actually _need_ to learn to be an effective Huntsman- in-Training so you can bust some Grimm on the dance floor." So he's just gonna throw me into the ring with a woman that can blast the teeth out of my face? Fuck me.

All four of us, even Ruby are in what I'm guessing is Qrow's personal training area in the forest. Qrow and Ruby are off near the tree line so as to be out of the crossfire, Qrow with his hand up about to signal the match and Ruby looking on with bed-head and wide eyes. Yang and I are in the very center of the clearing, her looking excited while I did my best to hide my nervousness. I have to be quick and skillful if I want to put my plan into action. I may have played a lot of Tekken, but I never tried to practice _any_ kind of moves before. I may not be _completely_ clean handed when it comes to fights, but before I changed it was more of a baseball bat and crowbar kinda thing.

…

Well, there's a first time for everything. Right?

 **Play Mystery Skulls- Unstoppable (2011)**

"Hajime!" Qrow yells, dropping his hand to his side signaling the start of the match. Really dude? Apparently he's one for theatrics.

'Holy shit she's fast!' I thought to myself as my partner Yang now thunders towards me with an arm cocked back.

'What should I do? I've neve- wait…. I got an idea. The best defense is always-'

"OFFENCE!" I shout unintentionally, catching Yang off guard as she closes in on me. Seeing how close she is, I tuck in to a roll towards her, coming in close and delivering a sharp left punch to her side, making her widen her eyes in pain. Wonder what I hit?

Using the momentum from my roll I continue with a leg sweep, knocking her flat on her back and making her short of breath from the unexpected impact. I continue spinning until my back is to her and then I prepare my elbow. Letting gravity do the rest of the work it ends with me putting my full weight into the dropping elbow now grinding squarely into Yang's stomach. In my adrenaline-fueled state, I feel a wave of pride wash over me before I managed to somewhat clear my mind from the shock of actually getting a hit in.

Next order of business, get the **fuck** away from the downed dragon!

Quickly scrambling to my feet I peddle back a few meters to ensure moderate safety from a leg sweep of her own, I take time to gauge the audience. Qrow doesn't look quite impressed yet, but instead looks thoughtful. Ruby looks gob smacked. Makes sense, there probably aren't a whole lot of people who can land a hit on her sister, even with how under-developed her style currently is. Last but not least, the little dragon herself. She's back on her feet now, and she looks… excited?

Oh. Fuck.

"Man you _really_ pack a mean punch there beach bum! You know, I **love** a good challenge!" She says, now grinding her fists together _hopefully_ just to intimidate me. Is she flirting with me? I'm then presented with an array of decisions to make in this situation quite graciously by my mind.

Option1- Run Away

Option2- Punch Her

Option3- Punch Harder

Option4- Flirt Back

…. Uh, duh. There's really only one good option anyway.

"Well Sunshine, if you can manage to beat _this_ challenge…" I start, motioning to myself. "You'll end up getting more than just a kiss." Is that a blush I spy, with my little eye? "Maybe even a date, if you hit me hard enough. Who knows?"

Yep, there's a fire in her eyes now. Good! That'll make her a better fighter! Motivation always does!

Man I really got cocky once I landed that hit, huh? Or is it that I know I'm gonna lose anyway? In any case, she's rushing at me now.

"A date huh?! If those are the stakes, there's no way I'm gonna lose!" She's really excited about that, isn't she? Out of the corner of my eye I can see Qrow facepalm… probably at the 'reason' Yang's now all fired up. So what's the next part of my battle plan, you might ask.

Thing about that is, I don't have one. Those hits I got on Yang before using the Speed and Weight style were really nothing more than an intense burst of luck, cause I've never sparred anyone in my life before.

Needless to say, I ended up getting punched in the face. A lot. The match was called by Qrow in the favor of Yang (naturally), and was quickly followed by the girl herself fist pumping the air with Ruby, cheering about having a… a boyfriend?

Wow.

Say what you want about Yang, but she definitely doesn't hide her feelings. Like, at **all.**

"So that was what you had, huh?" Asked Qrow, who was standing next to me also watching the two girls be loud in the forest.

"Yeah. I think I did pretty well for a fuck that's never been in a real fight before. What ya think Pa?" I'm hoping he doesn't grill me too hard. I think I'm beginning to actually like this fucker.

"You got a lot to work on kid. Like for instance, not getting your ass beat. But that… whatever it is you pulled at the beginning looked like it had potential. What is it?" He's curious about a couple of rolls and an elbow? Seeing as it was a fighting style designed to take on humans instead of Grimm, I can see how it might be interesting to see in action, honestly.

"It's called Speed and Weight. It uses the full weight of your body to the maximum, putting that weight behind each attack and at such a speed that you knock your opponent on their ass and end up destroying them before they can get a hit off." Yeah, it's my favorite style. Call me a Tekken nerd all you want; Sensei Robert Bob Richards is still cool as fuck.

"So what, it gets more effective the heavier you are?" His eyes are slightly wider than before. Guess he was expecting something like 'it was just instinct'.

"Got it in one. The original practitioner of this style used fat as an anchor to fight bigger opponents. I'm gonna see if I can use muscle the same way. I'll need around 350 pounds of weight to be as effective as he was with the style. Guess I better learn how to work out, huh?" I finish with an excited smile, even despite the pain I'm in I can't help but be eager to get to work.

"That's a lot of weight there, boy. Think you can really get there?" A good question as always dad. You never really stop with them, do you?

"Well, maybe not. But I gotta try at least. If I fail, I'm sure I'll figure something else out." With that said I begin walking over to Yang and Ruby. I can't help but be curious about what they're fighting over now.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

It's been about a month since my first training session, and holy shit has almost _nothing_ fun happened.

The following week Qrow went back to teaching classes as his vacation was over. Only difference there is that Yang and I went _with_ him. That's right, this couple is now enrolled in Signal Academy, and it couldn't be shittier.

I hate homework with a fucking passion. This might be a bit rougher than I thought. It seems Yang holds a pretty similar sentiment as me though, so it's not all bad. Plus we have _two_ teachers to help us… so I guess that's something.

As I've been busy with weight training, agility training and now school work, something has managed to until now slip my mind. Something _really_ important.

I couldn't build an awesome weapon if my life depended on it. Kinda an important thing to know if you live where I do, right?

Damn.

With that heavy as shit information in my mind, I take my problem to Qrow. Hopefully he might be able to help with this.

"Shit kid, really? You don't know _anything?_ Like nothing at all?" Fuck you Qrow don't make me feel stupid for not knowing how to make a killing machine.

"Shut up cunt. What, am I missing something? Are all children meant to know how to build a fuckin robot or something?" Jerk. Making me feel stupid and shit.

"Of course they're not… but aspiring huntsman usually at least know the basics of mechanics before attending an academy…" Really? I would have thought they would teach it or something. That's something I had no idea about… He then continues at seeing my now pale face.

"Knowing you, I know you're probably not gonna be able to learn it in time for the deadline-" Offending me is really his thing today, isn't it?

"Hey! …Never mind you're totally right. I can't wrap my head around that." Logic won out in the end. Mecha-shift tech is _really_ hard to understand. In short, fuck that shit.

"Which makes you lucky I'm your guardian. I know a certain someone that can help you with your problem." He says.

'Like, someone that'll build my weapons? It's that easy?' I think to myself, now rooted to the spot. There's gotta be some kind of catch… right?

"Hurry up kid, we won't get to Vale by standing around Patch." This snaps me out of my bewilderment and sends me running after Qrow.

"Wait up you speedy bitch!" I shout after him. I swear that for a lazy fuck, he's always in a hurry to be somewhere.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Downtown Vale µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

"Garret Gray's Death-Makers?" I ask Qrow, observing both the neon sign and the stone and steel building we ended up at. The window displays are covered wall to wall with weaponry of all kinds. A few I can pick out are grenades of all types, land mines, nun-chucks, tridents and even an exact replica of Zabuza's executioner blade. It's a pretty impressive spread, to be frank.

"Ugh, don't even get me started. Just take my word for it, he's good at what he does. I'd even go so far as to say the best. He's just… what's a good word for it…"

"Eccentric?" I try to help.

"I… guess? Let's just go with that. Just tell him what you want and he'll surpass even _my_ expectations." He sounds pretty sure of it. He's probably contracted his work before, so I guess I have no choice but to believe him. After all, if someone can make an exact replica of Kubikiribocho, he's probably figured out a way to make it have the same properties. Blood-eating metal and all that good family-friendly stuff.

Qrow pushes open the front doors like he owns the place and I follow behind, shocked by how simple the layout of the shop is. Weapons line the wall and there are simple sections stocked with weapon maintenance items such as oils and whet stones. As I look to the counter, I find a very strong looking old bastard. A huge mop of gray frizzy hair coupled with a matching beard, you could barely make out any facial features beyond green eyes. As far as I can see with him sitting down, he had a thick leather apron and iron bracelets. He was actually pretty intimidating, but I remained unaffected in the presence of who I can only guess is Garret Gray. His beard moves as he notices us, marking him as about to greet us.

"YOHOHOHOHO! QROW! You haven't been in here in quite some time sonny! And who's the lad right here?! Some poor woman finally managed to get her claws into you?! I'm betting she was disappointed in the nest! YOHOHOHOHOHOHO!" He bellowed out, shaking with laughter.

…

Holy shit it's Brook in the form of Andre the Blacksmith. I understand what you mean by eccentric now, Qrow.

"No he's n-" Qrow started to deny, only to be interrupted by yours truly.

"Hell yeah! He's my Dad without a doubt! He told me he was taking me to the best blacksmith on Remnant to get me a weapon since I have no fuckin idea how to build one myself! He didn't tell me you we're so cool!" Better ham it up, this guy is making the weapons I'm gonna be using. I want him to like me so that he'll end up surpassing the plans!

"YOHOHO! At least your son has more respect than you, shitty Qrow! What's your name there, son?" I can see genuine interest in his eyes. Looks like my charisma multiplier worked its magic in my favor once more.

"The name's Victor Arcadia Sullivan. Call me Sully, old guy!" I answer. It's easy to see I'm getting excited over the prospect of my own weapons at this point. I can barely keep myself contained.

"A strong name for a strong lad. And what is it that you're wanting? A sword, maybe a pocket canon? A _giant_ mace?" Stretching out his arms with the word 'giant', he's got a maniac gleam about him. It's easy to tell he's just as excited as me.

"Good questions. Honestly, I can tell I'm gonna be using my body more than any weapon I could have, so I'd rather just have ones that would enhance my skills. The first thing I need is something to wear over my knuckles so the skin doesn't split from my punches… or so that my aura doesn't take a hit if I punch something harder like armor or concrete. Something important about that, is that I don't want to wear gloves. They're restricting." I start. Garret now holds his beard in his hand, stroking it in thought.

"Hmmm… An interesting challenge. I'm not often presented with a request that requires such a different approach. What else you got in that head of yours, Sullivan?" He's hooked. Great!

"Next up I need something to pair with my semblance. I need a revolver. A big one. I also need it to mecha-shift into a hand-held detonator. I want the gun to shoot anchored charges that will electrocute whatever it's anchored to when I choose to blow the round." I list off to him. Not bad, right? Garret certainly seems to think so.

"Damn son, you're just full of ideas I've never heard of before! What kinda semblance do you have to want something like that, if you don't mind my question?" Might as well tell him. He might even be able to find a solution to my little problem. If he does, I'd owe him big time!

"I don't mind at all, grandpa. My semblance allows me to control liquids, I haven't found a limit to how much I can control just yet. Thing is, I can only control it when it's around me. I can't just create it out of thin air. So I either need to make do without it most of the time, or find a reliable way to carry it with me in large amounts. Can you think of anything that might help with that?" I'm hopeful that Garret over here might be able to think of something. Given his age and profession, he probably would have seen something that could help me, right?

"Hmmmm… you got an interesting boy here, Qrow. I might just have something to help you, but I'll need to experiment a bit with it. They aren't typically used for battle, so I'll have to reinforce it somehow. Hell, if I pull this off, I'll officially be able to make anything a weapon! Come back in three months. I'll be done with your order by then and I might just have the answer to your little problem there." He finishes with a nod, messing his hair and grunting in satisfaction at a new job coming in for business.

Giving thanks to Garrett, we both start to leave. Halfway out the door, I realize something **gravely** important that I should ask of the old man. Turning back to him on a dime, I catch his attention with my request.

"Hey, before I forget I gotta tell you something! Make sure you use brass, bronze and waves! I got a bit of a theme going on, I can't risk clashing! I'd be the laughing stock of Beacon!" I'm one hundred percent serious right now. Stop laughing.

Garret the blacksmith gives me a once over, probably taking stock of my 'style' and filing it away in his mind. He gives a laugh and nods vigorously.

"Ya know I usually charge extra for jobs like that, or just don't do them at all! But I like you kid, I can see you're going places! As long as you make sure to show off my weapons at that Vytal Festival, I'll make it look like anything you want! Now get outta here, I'm busy!"

Satisfied, I run once more after Qrow. I don't wanna be late for the ferry back to Patch.

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Northern Shoreline of Patch - Sully's Illegal Hut µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

'Holy fuck, training is _hard as shit._ ' I think to myself, panting as I'd just finished my weight training and five mile 'run' as it was supposed to be. It turned into more of a crawl towards the end, but I think it still counts. My run lead me to my little beach house, which is where I'm now taking a break.

It's been about two weeks since Qrow took me to Garrett's, and I gotta say it's been hard waiting around. Training helps alleviate my anxiousness a bit, but I need something a little more exciting, I think. And just as that thought passes my mind, I'm assaulted by something soft from behind.

"There you are Sully! Hope you didn't forget about your promise, 'cause I've decided today is the day you take me on that date!" Man, Yang sure sounds excited about this for someone who already 'declared' me their boyfriend. Then again, I suppose he who asks for trouble shall receive it in spades. To tell the truth, I've been wondering why she was biding her time. I never asked because I knew she would get all embarrassed about it, but she seems to have worked up the confidence to approach me, 'The Adonis'. Kidding… am I?

It's worth noting that even though she jumped onto my back with as much force as possible, I barely budged. Usually I'd say gaining pounds on pounds of muscle would be monumentally difficult, but somehow I seem to have developed a knack for it. Gotta admit I'm a bit proud of that. I started off at about 140 pounds of all-around weight, and as of this morning I now weigh 180 pounds of muscle. I even gained a couple of inches, now standing at 5'11". If this keeps going I might end up even taller than Joe!

Enough bragging though, let's move back to the matter at hand, yeah?

"You're finally cashing in on that Sunny? I was worried you forgot! Almost hurt my feelings there. Anyway, since it's _your_ day, what have you decided to do?" Back with the clapping questions, it's Sully the destroyer! With that she lets go and instead decides to sit next to me, looking confused at what I said.

"Uh… what do you mean?" She's adorable when she's confused, honestly. That bottom lip sticking out ever so slightly only helps her case.

"What do you mean what do I mean? It's been weeks since you won that bet, and you haven't been thinking about what you wanna do?" I feel like I'm being a bit harsh on chibi sunshine here, but really? Nothing?

"I- ugh... No not really. I kinda thought you'd come up with something to surprise me. You're pretty good at thinking things up on the fly." She says, obviously embarrassed. A blush is quickly crawling up her neck, turning her a bit pink.

"Guess you're right. You know, I think I'm in the mood for ice cream. How you feel about that?" I ask her, smoothly taking a black card out of my pocket and holding it before her between my middle and index finger. Qrow's lien card. It seems she recognizes it as her face lights up mischievously, taking my hand and trying to pull me to my feet. I decide to 'let' her pull me up, but a thought in the back of my head drives its way to the surface.

"Have you never been on a date before Yang?" A question that's been on my mind for a bit, actually. Here she seems a little awkward around me, but in the show she's the 'hostess with the most-ess'. I'm curious, sue me.

"Nope!" She says, popping the 'p' as she likes to do. "You're gonna be my first! Make sure to be gentle~." She answers with a giggle and a wink. Oh it is so on! You're fucking with a master now, girl.

"I see…" Poker face has been engaged.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Basket Blue Jay's µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

The revenge has come in the most spectacular way, I'm telling my best jokes while she's trying (and failing) to eat her ice cream. When we arrived, we definitely used the fuck out of Qrow's lien card. She got a cone of Double Mint Chip and I got a cone of Atlesian Vanilla. Don't make fun of my poor vanilla-chan, that would make you a jerkwad. Nobody likes a jerkwad. When we got outside and sat down at the tables to eat our treats, I began my onslaught with puns, giving me satisfying results against my defenseless girlfriend. Now however, I believe its time to raise the level.

"And then he says, I wouldn't pay 300 lien to have a Garbanzo Bean all over my face!" I end up finishing the joke with a peal of my own laughter.

"HAHAHA OH OUM! Stop it, please! You're killing me!" She follows this with a deep breath… before immediately retracting her request. "Don't actually stop. It's just getting good!" Yang exclaims at me, sending Double Mint Chip all over the place. The only thing to really do is to follow her request, right?

"Alright alright, fine. You're really making me pull out the big guns now." I say to calm her down, it works even though I can see her just barely holding her laughter down for the sake of the joke coming her way. "So, I used to know this woman who just had all the trouble in the world trying to find a good guy to date." Get ready. "She started off by saying 'I just can't seem to find a guy… that doesn't want me to eat his asshole'!" I start the joke, resulting in Yang losing control of the bottled laughter and causing her to spit ice cream all over the table. Again. I'm lucky that she thinks dirty jokes are hysterical, or I'd be damn-near out of material.

I know, my jokes are the _best_ in Remnant. Right now I see the perfect opportunity to see how hard I can make her laugh, so I continue before she can catch her breath.

"Then she says 'I've been seeing this guy Chuck and we finally decided it was time to have sex, but of course, something went wrong. As soon as he dropped his drawls he turned around and spread those precious little cheeks and all I could think was No Chuck not you too'!" Now I sit back and observe my very pretty work. I swear she's turning blue at this poi-

All of a sudden, a soft sound pierces my ears. Almost reminds me of…. _No way._

Immediately, my mind goes blank, face following its example soon after. I _think_ I know what that was, but I just can't be sure.

".…" Yang went quiet as soon as the noise was made. Wow, she sure is _red._ I'm talking absolutely _crimson_ right now.

".…Did… did you….." I try to ask, despite already knowing the answer. My jaw is on the table, I'm totally shocked. Never in a million years did I ever think I would make Yang laugh so hard she would _fart!_ That's… that's…..

Surprisingly cute as fuck. As every man _ever_ secretly thinks, if a beautiful woman passes gas from your joke, you can't ever let her get away.

Immediately, I've made up my mind. She's _the one._ Well, one of three if that old pervert Joe has his way.

"And with that the pact is complete. I'm never letting you go. Imma have to marry you, Toot." I say to Yang, knocking her out of her shell-shocked state. Seriously she looked like she just killed someone, pale face and thousand-yard stare included. At a rapid rate, she goes from pale back to being crimson, furrowing her eyebrows in the process.

"Don't call me Toot! And what do you mean marry me? Any other guy would be totally grossed out or laughing at me!" Is she angry at me? For what? Now _I'm_ confused.

"Uh… probably, but when have you ever known me to be _like_ other guys?" A pretty fair question, as far as I'm concerned. I'm almost sure I'm the _exception_ to a lot of things considered 'normal'. For instance, how many bullet wounds does the average person have at 14 years old? Pretty sure it's not seven. How many worlds has the average Remnant Citizen been a resident of? Probably not two. I rest my case.

"I- you- we….." Uh oh. I think I mighta broken her. What should I do now, Otacon? Maybe I shou-

And right in the middle of my _absolutely hilarious, award winning_ thoughts, Yang cleared the distance between us. Dropping her cone and slapping mine out of the way and in the process she kissed me, mixing Atlesian Vanilla with Mint Double Chip. There was tongue involved. Lots of it.

A beautiful moment, really. I'd rate it a 10/10 on Yelp.

As we separate, she's panting heavily and blushing a pretty pink. I'm actually a bit shook by her reaction. Tongue is absolutely welcome, but still shocking nonetheless.

"I…" I start, pausing wisely to consider my options. In the end I decide to go with the one most natural to me. "Was it really necessary to kill my ice cream? I loved the kiss and all, bu-" She cuts me off with a slap to the table and an adorable pout… one that ignites something in my cold artery-blocked heart.

"Just shut up and kiss me you ass face!" Ah, truly a woman after my own heart. With that, I'm happy to oblige. Leaning back in all by myself, I capture her lips an declare tongue war.

….Hmm.

Maybe I should have gotten Mint Chip instead? Doesn't taste half bad to be honest.

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Downtown Vale µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

"I'm so damn excited right now! I've been waiting for three months for this shit!" I exclaim to my two walking partners as we near Garrett Gray's Death-Makers. "I can't believe that I spent an _entire damn month_ being the only one in Signal without a weapon. Doesn't make it better that you have an advantage in our spars now, Yang…" Yeah I'm bitter as fuck over that, try me. That Ember Celica of hers burns like a motherfucker.

"Oh shush, you big baby. I need to get used to my new back-breakers! Besides, you would've lost any way, beefy!" She exclaims right back. She makes a habit of getting right in my face when we argue, so I have to do the same usually. Right now however, I'm not in the mood. So instead I just grab her by the cheeks and push her back into place next to me by the face. Still pouting.

"Yeah well we'll see who's the better fighter when I can fry your brain, sunshine." Can you tell I'm excited?

"I don't think you could do that to little ol' me~!" She says, now putting her hands on her hips. Why you cocky little-

"ALRIGHT I GET IT! Just shut up and quit flirting already, you're gonna make me barf damn it." Yells Qrow from the right of me. Were we really being that annoying?

"Maybe you just need to get a love life, Dad. I'm sure they call you 'Schnee-Fucker' for a reason, right?" I retaliate, making Yang try to stifle a giggle and Qrow choke on his spit. Man I'm a teasing, cheeky little shit. Poor guy.

"Shut the hell up and get your damn weapons already…" He's getting annoyed now, I should probably just get it over with. Gotta admit, I'm kinda nervous. "I'll wait out here. You can show me when you get out." He directs me, now leaning against the stores front.

"I guess. Yang, you coming with?" I ask her directly.

"Uh duh. You haven't shut up about these weapons of yours for three months, of course I want to see them!" Holy fuck, she might be even more eager than yours truly… this requires further study.

But not right now. Right _now_ I need to get MY VERY OWN FUCKIN WEAPONS BITCH! Hell Yeah!

Pushing open the door like it owes me money I run my way through the shop with my path clear. Yang follows me at a _much_ more controlled pace, but one way or another we both end up at the counter, behind which rests a sleeping Garrett. Shit, I don't wanna annoy him by waking him u-

"HEY OLD MAN WAKE UP!" Fucking shit Yang, haven't you ever been taught not to annoy people that make your weapons? They can rig em' to explode in your face if you're not careful! That's something that all mothers in Remnant should teach their- oh. Never mind, then.

"WHAT THE FU- oh hey there Sully. Your girlfriend sure has a big mouth, hope she puts it to use in the future for you YOHOHOHOHOHO!" If I was worried that Garrett would be mad, now I'm absolutely terrified he's gonna goad my girlfriend into trying to kill him. I gotta diffuse the situation before it becomes one, **quick**!

"YOHOHOHOHO! Still funny as ever Gramps! How about we see those weapons, and fast! I gotta keep you busy so you don't end up asking to see her panties. Then I'd probably just _let_ her kill you." I finish with a nod and crossed arms, completely sure of myself.

Nailed it.

Now both are looking at me, Yang blushing with barely contained rage and Garrett with sweat now visible on his brow. Maybe I was wrong about the him being quite _that_ much like Brook… but at the same time I can't be fucked to give a damn.

"Snappy snappy, old man. I got Grimm to kill and weapons to show off!" This absolutely gets his old ass in gear, now running full tilt to the back room. As soon as he passes the arched doorway I turn to Yang with steel in my eyes.

"Alright listen, Sunshine." I start, being successful in gaining her attention. "I can't let you kill him yet. I need him… for now." I tell her in a whisper… Man I'm ruthless. I get a nod from Yang, but she looks kinda confused for some reason.

"Uhhh, sure thing hunky. But… what did he mean when he said to put my mouth to good use?" Fuck, well that's a bomb if I've ever heard one. One that could quite possibly lead to the castration and early death of one Victor Arcadia Sullivan.

"Don't worry about it right now, I'll tell you later. Promise!" Did I really just say that? Did I _really_ just _say_ that?!

Let it be known that as of right now, I successfully just fucked myself. Congratulations, me! You just practically set up shop on top of a _fucking_ _ **minefield**_! Thank Oum Garrett managed to return with perfect timing, or I would have had to explain the intricacies of FELLATIO to my girlfriend in a weapons shop. As he walks back in through the archway, my eyes are drawn to the assorted polished wooden boxes in his arms.

"Alright, boyo. Here's everything thing you commissioned, with some generous creativity from the master at hand here!" He says, obviously smug as fuck while sitting the three boxes on the counter. "Now like with all my customers, I get to choose the order you unveil your weapons. You're gonna be starting with the smallest one and working your way up. Gotta always leave the most impressive for last, YOHOHOHO!" They aren't so much bone-jokes as they are boner jokes at this point. Not too impressed, 4/10.

Shaking the ever so persistent snark out of my head, I follow his directions. A thin, square case was placed before me by Garrett, looking to be made of polished oak and closed with a small iron latch. I'm extremely aware of Yang looking closely over my shoulder as I can feel certain budding _extremities_ pressed tightly against my back, her hands on my shoulders in an effort to lift herself high enough to see over 'all that is me'. You're gonna have to try harder for my attention than that Yang, I'm _laser-focused_!

Unlatching the case in one swift move I flip it open and am immediately enamored with what I find. There, in the confines of the case lay a pair of actual, brass, _knuckles._ Not just the weapon, either. These look to be able to fit over my actual knuckles themselves perfectly. The dragon currently on my back lets out a low whistle, obviously impressed.

"These, kid, are a very fine pair of killers. Instead of offering protection to the fingers or being based on them like typical brass knuckles, these are designed to form themselves perfectly to anyone's _actual_ knuckles! The insides are padded with Hunter-Grade shock absorption material, so that instead of the acute abrasions caused by regular brass knuckles, the user will suffer virtually no damage unless they fuck up! The metal is a blend of my own design, mixing high-grade iron, steel, titanium, and aura-consuming metals specifically designed to be tough as fuck and to repair itself if you feed it enough juice. The brass coloration is purely vestigial, and the protruding depictions of bronze anchors on each knuckle hurt like a bitch. I made sure of that myself!"

He's definitely good at his job… I didn't even understand some of what he just said! Carefully picking up the set at the top of the box first, I painstakingly place it on the knuckles of my left hand. Almost immediately it starts to shift to a perfect fit, a strip of metal wraps itself around the underside of my hand. After it tightens on completely, I begin to go through a variety of hand and finger motions to test out how much it obstructs me. It's…. surprisingly flexible. There's nearly no discomfort or unwanted bulk to deal with, almost like it's a second skin. Quickly putting the second set on I compliment Garrett on his work.

"Well old guy, these are amazing! Hopefully what you have next keeps up the trend!" I'm extremely excited now. These babies right here totally blew my expectations outta the water!

"I'll say! They aren't quite as pretty as Ember Celica, but they suit you." I can't tell if that's a compliment or not, Yang.

Garrett gets a chuckle from Yang's statement, easily entertained by how sassy she is. I can tell he's enjoying himself, I'm sure he's eager to show me what's next. Picking up the second largest box, he sets it before me on the counter. A quick look over of the case shows that it's almost exactly like the previous one, only real difference is its size. Eagerly ripping open the latch and flipping up the top, my jaw drops to the floor.

"Oh…oh fuck yes…" It. Is. **Beautiful.**

Alright, think of a good old classic colt revolving pistol. This bitch is its big brother, _easily._

"YOHOHOHO Like it, do ya? Of course you do! I put a _lot_ of work into this one. You wouldn't _believe_ how difficult it is crafting a gun specifically for anchored lightning rounds without having it blow up the first time you use it. I went through a ton of different designs, but the classics have a way of working when nothing else does. It's got a polished redwood handle and a cylinder that can hold twelve rounds, instead of the typical six shot. It _looks_ like brushed brass, but it's really made of solid corrosion resistant steel. I had to make a special order for the metal because I'm sure if I used regular metal, you'd have found a way to corrode it to dust with your semblance. No offence. I remembered what you said about aesthetics too, so on either side of the barrel is a bronze slate with engravings of classical waves. Like the kind you see in those old cartoons!" Garrett finished with a mega-watt smile. I think… I can't really see beneath that beard of his, so I'm guessing. Taking the _work of art_ into my hands I look it over. It's perfect.

"Well? Are you gonna shift it or what?" Yang asks impatiently from over my shoulder. She sure is fidgeting a lot. It's kinda making me uncomfortable, actually.

"Well I don't know _how_ to shift it yet. So no." I answer back. "Don't rush me, dude."

"Calm down you two. All you have to do to activate the mecha-shift function is spin it in your hand like a cowboy!" Cheeky bastard. I swear he can go from being a certified genius to a toddler in about a second… gives him character. Nothing to complain about on that front.

Flourishing my new gun just like he says, the shift immediately starts. I gotta say, seeing a revolver transform into a hand-held detonator in the span of a few seconds in the palm of my hand really solidified something in my mind. This world is _so fucking coooooool!_ Looking over my new toy, I notice it's exactly what I had in my mind. A cylindrical metal object made of brushed brass now lies in my hand, completely featureless beyond the piston-like protruding button at the top with a bronze skull resting in the center of the button. I cannot tell you how much I want to smash my thumb on it and yell 'Killer Queen!', but I have better taste than that. Or do I?

"That's badass…" I hear from my shoulder.

"Fuck I know Yang! It's cool as shit." I agree with her. Giving it another flip, this time making it transform into my revolver I set it carefully back into the case for later. I slide the case further down the counter in preparation for the last one when I notice at least 50 additional bullets in the case, all neatly arranged in the protective foam. Looks like I'll have to thank him later though, as he's already got the last case in place.

"Now this here was the most challenging piece of the puzzle that was your order. I even had to get a license just to be able to sell this to ya!" He bellows out, followed by a laugh. A license? What the fuck could it possibly be, I wonder… Opening the case I'm a bit shocked at what I find.

A thermos?

"Is that a thermos?" Didn't really internalize that one, but fuck it. In the box lay a thermos decorated with bronze bands and mostly made of redwood. It looks to be about a foot and a half long. I mean, it's a nice thermos and all, but… really? Oh hey Yang finally let go.

"A thermo- NO YOU IDIOT! That there is an Industrial-Class Schnee Transportation Delivery Tank! Haven't you noticed that we never have huge delivery trucks here in the city?" He asks, obviously exasperated.

"I guess not… but am I supposed to know what that is?" I'm asking seriously right now. It's not like shipping economics was covered in the show.

Yang sidles up beside me and rests her arm on the granite of the counter, looking me in the eyes and giving off an unimpressed air.

"You serious right now? We talked about them in class last week!" Did we? Guess she has a right to be looking at me like that now.

"I-" I vaguely hear Garrett try to interject before I cut him off. We in dis bitch now, son!

"Well _sorry_ Sunshine, I don't happen to care enough about 'Industry-Sized Sneeze Transportation' enough to memorize it… or stay awake through Mrs. Triller's class…" I argue back. What? I'll admit to not paying a lick of attention in that class. I'm prideful not delusional.

"Actually they-" Que Garrett's attempt mark 2. Attempt failed, noted.

"'Sneeze Transportation?' Really? I-" Yes really. Shuddup.

"SHUT UP YOU OLD MARRIED COUPLE!" See, shuddup is fuckin right. Garrett just yelled himself purple! "Listen for the sake of Oum! First, it's called an 'Industrial-Class Schnee Transportation Delivery Tank' or 'SDT' for short. This is gonna help you with your semblance problem." Cue my eyes bulging out of my fucking head. "This specific tank can hold up to 4000 gallons of any liquid of your choice. I _suggest_ sea water, or something similar." He explains, looking relieved to not be interrupted this time.

"That's a lot of water. How does it hold it all?" What a good question, my darling Yang. How _does_ my new thermos hold that much hot soup?

"There are specific dust-enhanced runes carved into the metal itself. There's a _shit ton_ of mathematical jargon to explain it, but basically it's bigger on the inside than it looks." Did Garrett just solve the only hindrance I have with my semblance? Holy fuck.

"Congratulations old man, you just successfully created the first walking, talking, flood to have ever been sighted in the waking world. I'll advertise your weapons until I die, and always come back for all of my killing needs…. starting right now!" I say, drawing a warm look from the old death-maker and a slightly confused one from the blondie next to me. "Yang, can you go wait with Qrow outside? This is kinda personal."

"I- uhhhm… okay? If you say so." I watch as she walks to the door, and as soon as it shuts behind her I turn back to Garrett who's watching me with curious eyes.

"So what is this 'personal business' you've got?" He asks, which is actually a fair question.

"I'll get to that, but first I need some holsters for my gun and my tank." I say, eager to be fully armed.

"Leather, canvas, or both in terms of harnesses?"

"Ummm… both?" I answer back. It never hurts to have options.

"Done. Now what was that bit about a potential commission?" He asks again as he sets down two harnesses made of leather and two made of thick canvas, both with bronze buckles. Grabbing the canvas harnesses I wrap the first around my waist, connecting the tank to my back so that it rests horizontally. The second harness I affix to my right hip, holstering my revolver there. I notice it has a pouch for bullets, but I'll just fill it later. I don't want to keep Garrett waiting much longer.

"Okay here's the deal. Seeing how awesome you were with my weapons you're the only one I can trust with this. I only have so long before I have to explain to the girl that just walked out, my _girlfriend,_ what the term **fellatio means.** " His face is pale now, he must understand just how dire the situation is. "Now that is either gonna go _really well_ , or _bone-crushingly terrible._ I need to get her a gift as either a sorry or a massive thank you, so it boils down to one thing. Or two, if you wanna be technical." I take this moment to catch my breath.

"Holy mother of Oum, this is serious. So what's the plan, brave soldier?" He asks, almost like he doesn't realize that _he_ put me in this situation. _Almost._

"You saw the shotgun gauntlets she had on her wrists, right?" I question him. If he didn't take note of them, then my job just got a lot harder.

"Ah, those 'Ember Celica' she was raving about. Pretty simple work, yet both impressive and most likely gravely effective. What about them?" Thank fuck he knows what I'm talking about. I can see that spark in his eyes once again, just like when I started my first order.

"I need you to make a matching set for her. Only they need to be for her feet, activated by sufficiently strong kicks." My plan is coming together nicely.

"Hmmm. I think I can swing that. I can have them done in like, two days since it's such a dire situation. I already have some rough prototypes of exactly that, so it won't be too hard. How are you gonna pay, though?" He asks me.

With a shit-eating grin on my face, I slip Qrow's lien card out of my pocket, causing a similar smile to show on the face of Garrett. Ya know, beneath his beard somewhere.

"You know, I think I like you more every time I see you! Oh, and by the way, have you thought of the names for your weapons yet?" As I hand him the card to swipe, I can really only smirk at the names I already got picked out.

"Hell yeah I did, old man! Imma call the brass knuckles Stone Ocean as a set, and my revolver/detonator Solaire and Queen respectively. I think I've got a pretty good name for even the tanker, too. I'll call it the Flying Dutchman. Whaddya think, gramps?"

"Some pretty good names there, I'll admit I don't entirely get all of them… but how did you hear about the Flying Dutchman? That's a history buff kinda thing there, sonny. That was the name of the very last sea-based exploration class ship the known world ever sent out into uncharted waters. They were supposed to scout out along shorelines of neighboring land masses for possible settlement locations. Sad story, though. Before it got even half way to its destination it was completely destroyed by the only Leviathan-Class Grimm we've ever seen… it was the last straw, really. We mostly abandoned attempts at sea-based travel outside the kingdoms thanks to that tragedy." Man, Garrett is just one of the most informative bastards I've ever seen today, isn't he? Let's say something inspiring.

"Well, I don't think tragedies should be tossed aside. There's a reason we have history class, right?" I'm _sure_ I could've done better than that… but he seemed to like it well enough.

"Right you are. Good luck, soldier." He says, handing me back the plastic card. I'm already walking to the door when something hits my mind.

"Hey Garrett, now that I'm thinkin of it, how do you know Yang's measurements enough to make a weapon for her? Or mine?" A pretty good question, right?

"Finally caught on to that, eh? You're faster than Qrow, at least. I wasn't always a blacksmith. No, in fact I graduated from Beacon if you can believe it. I was in the field for 20 years before I… retired. Anyway, it's my semblance that lets me do what I do. My eyes can give me all the mathematical details about a person, from how long their index finger is to how many meters of intestinal tract they have. Hell, it even tells me that for a 14-year-old, you gotta HUGE DI-" Alright that's about enough of that, better cut him off before Yang hears something she shouldn't. This fucker's trying to get me into even more trouble.

"ALRIGHT THANKS FOR THE WEAPONS BYE BITCH!" I yell at him as I slam the shop door closed behind me, causing Yang and Qrow to look at me with wide-eyes, probably shocked. Behind us, roaring laughter can easily be heard even through the walls of the store.

"..."

"..."

"Hush. Let's go." I begin the walk back home. Yang follows and Qrow just drinks from his flask.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Chapter 3 µµµµµµµµ END µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 _So? Whaddya think?_

 _Bet you didn't expect that opening scene, if nothing else. I hope you all liked what I had to offer this chapter, a good bit of it was based of real-life shit, if you can believe it!_

 _Anyway, get pumped for the next few chapters, because I've got some ideas for omakes and flash backs involving certain… explanations and birthdays._

 _Get ready too, I might be having a massive time skip in the next chapter. It might even be the start of Beacon in the next few._

 _We outchea_

 _Anyway, keep on commenting what you think, beautiful people. I like responding to comments, lets me know people are interested in my plot!_

 _Until next time, Shore out_


	4. Shallows to the Deep End

_*Edited as of 2/9/19. Getting there slowly but surely. This new non-bootleg word tool is super useful. Enjoy once more, mai boi.*_

 _What's up fuckers, I got some more fucking ecstasy for ya. Sorry for taking so long, I should have finished this last week, but I took a bit of a break halfway through to…_

 _Get ready for it, I have a confession to make._

 _I just watched season 3 of RWBY. I'm so far behind it's not even funny, and now I can't stop watching through it._

 _Yea, I bought the steelbook with the three seasons, shut up._

 _Anyway, let's get to the comments, right?_

 _mrmugrootbeer- Don't worry son, I'm planning on going all the fuckin way with this… it just might take a while._

 _aveshetta- you got it, hoe! Already working on the next one_

 _Managed Dragoon- I'm glad that you like the weapons I had in mind for him, I put a lot of thought into em. Don't worry about the Nora thing, Sully's an airheaded fucker but he's not a complete idiot. Just read the fight scenes in this chapter and you'll get what I mean. Besides, he's got enough power that he wouldn't need to rely on his weapons all the time anyway. Now consume my new chapter_

 _kfawcett1998- I know, right? I got tired of reading those stories too. Stoked you like my fledgling story, though_

 _MonsterOfEnd- Join the club, my child. This is a safe place, away from all the fedoras the world has to throw at us… glad you think my story is neato_

 _whynoceolocanth- Pumped you like my weapons, yo. Imma do my best to keep up the trend of good shit_

 _0-Tengetsu-0- Ah, I see you are a fellow being of culture as well, dawg. Of course I have everything and more that you love, we both obviously have good tastes. Glad you don't have a problem with the Yang and Sully thing, it's probably going to be shown off a bit each chapter cause it's funny to write. Ya boi Sully is about to get even bigger though, so brace yourself. Don't worry though, he won't pack on too much more than he has in this chapter. Thanks, dude. Enjoy yourself with this one_

 _DamascusDalek- He's the one that writes the Secret Agent Vale story, right? I actually like that story. And yeah, I didn't think that everyone should just say the same shit and it would unlock people's aura, that was too boring so I made something up, to be honest_

 _Raidentensho- Glad you like it so far, homie. By remnant do you mean like the legends each character are from? Like I said, I'm behind as fuck on the show, so bear with me. And he's probably not gonna have a motorcycle… but I'll let you in on a little secret for later… he's gonna buy an entire goddamn boat for a certain stretch of time known as Volume *. Gotta keep ya guessing, can't just give away one of the most major plot points of my story! Keep reading though, it's gonna get really interesting here soon_

 _I love all the comments and shit guys. Keep em coming._

 _Without a second to spare, get to the story you all came for._

 _Consume!_

 **Chapter 4 µµµµµµµµµµ Shallows to the Deep End µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

You know, something like this doesn't happen too often around here. Which means, this moment right here is something to be cherished.

It's _quiet_.

Usually, the road outside my alley is noisy all hours of the day. Given that it's in the food district, it makes sense. People are never _not_ hungry, after all. However, a quick slap to my back knocks me out of my mind. Just have to _ruin_ the quiet, don't ya?

"Come on, Tyler! It's your turn to go diving today! I dunno about you but I'm starving…" Aaaand there, ladies and gentlemen, is my bunk-mate.

" _Fine_ Sasha, just calm down. Promise not to laugh at me instead of helping me get out this time?" I ask her, one-hundred percent serious. Last time I went looking for some grub she just left me in the dumpster like a douche-nozzle. Or a 'meanie' if you're not quite as 'linguistic' as I am. I turn around so as to better see her reaction, and what greets me is the sight I've gotten used to. An eight-year-old girl with silky red hair flicks her brown eyes between me and the 'food-basket' with a barely suppressed grin on her face. What a jackass...

"I-I dunno what you're talking about, dude…" She better not be snickering… homeless boy will remember that! Minus 5 reputation.

"Sure you don't, dweeb. Just hold my legs so I don't fall on some glass or whatever, will ya?" I'm down to business as always. For an eight-year-old, I have some pretty good priorities. Living as a rat will do that to you, honestly.

"Sure, sure. Do you need help getting over the wall? It's pretty tall, dude…" She trails off. Doesn't she get it that we've been doing this for something like 3 months? At least that's what the calendar I stole says. I only shake my head in response.

Getting up from my ass on the ground I attempt to wipe my dirt covered hands off on my equally dirt covered knees. Don't want to get the almost rotten food dirty, do we? Well… that might be a little harsh. Food market dumpsters usually aren't too bad, that's why I chose to be here in the first place. Walking to the side of the dumpster I lift my hands up to the lip of the wall, just barely able to reach. Better brace myself.

With a sharp metallic sound I hop myself onto the edge of the dumpster, now laying with my stomach on the edge and my arms keeping me steady, ready to start digging. With any luck, I might find some motha-fuckin _pie!_ Speaking of, what's that I spy with my little eye?

Turns out I didn't even get a chance to investigate. A pair of small hands wrap themselves around my ankles and yank, sending me falling into my partner in crime.

"Yo what the fuck was that, Sasha?" I whisper-shout at her. Why would she yank me out? I didn't even get to grab the pie! Or the other shit I guess, but we all know the _pie_ is the star of that dumpster.

"Shut Up! I think I heard something… what if we get caught?" Oh is that fear I hear, with my little ear? Alright that joke is played out now, but in all seriousness I understand her fear. We haven't exactly had… the _best_ experience meeting adults around town.

"What are you two kids doing, hangin' around in a dirty alleyway like this? I heard the alleyways around here are dangerous, after all…" A gruff voice asks from directly behind us, making me freeze immediately out of shock. I'm sure she had the same reaction as me.

Shit. We should have hidden when we had the chance! Meeting eyes with Sasha we both nod.

'Time to put on a tough face, I guess.' I think to myself as Sasha and I turn around to check out our new 'guest'. _Immediately,_ I regret the action.

"HOLY SHIT DUDE YOU'RE HUUUUGE!" Did you really think a top-tier street-urchin like me would have a brain to mouth filter? Well, nah. I don't. You can't blame me though, because if you turned around to see a bulky guy easily more than twice your height with a full beard, cropped hair and scary blue eyes like his you'd probably verbally shit yourself too. Just saying.

Blue jeans, blue flannel shirt, and thick leather boots make this damn guy look like a gosh-darn lumberjack. That bracelet of his is a little out of place, though… I really shouldn't focus on small stuff like that.

"I- huh? Whatever. Why are the two of ya out here alone? I'm sure yer' families are worried about ya." A pretty good question, to be fair. Guess I'll-

"Uhm, we don't exactly… have… one. Sir." To my surprise, Sasha beats me to the punch and holy shit that's _gotta_ be the most timid I think I've ever heard her. Looking to the giant in front of us I can see a brief look of shock in his eyes. As quick as it appears it vanishes just as fast, instead replaced by a look I can't recognize.

"You're not the only ones, kid…. I don't exactly have a family anymore either. But I still can't let ya stay here alone…" He trails off, looking thoughtful. Interesting.

'He couldn't be thinking about… could he?' I'm feeling hopeful despite myself. Can't really help it.

"Alright! I got an idea. First, hows about we get some grub, yeah? I'm starving! I'll even buy ya whatever ya want! All ya gotta do is trust me, and I'll take care of everything." He says, leaving an open hand towards me and my alley mate.

For a reason I can't really explain, I can't help but trust this damn old man.

After a brief moment of thought, I come to a decision. Without even looking I take Sasha's hand in mine, and then use my other to reach towards his.

 **The Waking World - Eggs and Bacon, Bitch µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **The Xiao Long Residence µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

I snap my eyes open, easily scaring the shit out of myself and nearly breaking the recliner in the process. Understandably, it takes me a bit to catch my bearings, considering how… _involved…_ that dream I just had was. Having dreams of the past isn't something that I would call common, but I've had enough to where they aren't out of place.

Doesn't mean I like having them _that much_.

Checking my watch, I see that it's only 3:00 in the afternoon. I just woke up from a nap…

Holy fuck dude I'm like a Dad with no kids. At least I don't have socks and sandals on… right now.

My thoughts were interrupted by the front door flying open, only to be slammed shut with just as much intensity. The sleep was immediately discarded from my eyes as I notice it's Ruby behind the abuse of that poor door. Much more importantly though, her eyes are red and her cheeks are streaked.

"Sully!" Ruby cries as soon as she notices me. As I'm about to get to my feet to greet her, she beats me to the punch and launches onto me with a hug. With her arms tight around me and her face buried in my chest, it's so much easier to know that she's crying.

The squeaking coming from her also gives her away.

"Woah, what's wrong there, Rosie?" I ask her with some major concern, wrapping my arms around her as I ask. Big Brother Mode has been activated. Threats shall be eliminated with _extreme_ prejudice. She looks up at me and my cold, dead heart hurts a bit. Her eyes and nose are red from crying, and she has perfected the technique of the pouty lip. Goddamn it, Yang.

"I-I was p-playing at the Arcade in town and those two jerk-ass boys from my class showed up!" Uh oh. I think I can see where this is going, and I don't fuckin' like it… "They started making fun of me! They said I was too small and weak to be a Huntress! It… it hurt a lot, Sully…" After this she buries her face back into my chest and breaks down into a fit of adorable sniffles. A part of my mind marks that she's getting better at cursing, but still isn't _quite_ there yet. Only took her two years. After the first year of 'Ass-Butt' I all but resigned her to her fate of shitty insults. It was a lot like hanging around my own personal Castiel, wonky one-liners and sudden appearances included.

Anyway, time to be a good big brother, right? No better time than when they're crying and laying on you like a blanket.

"Listen, _listen_ shortstack. First of all, you're a bit old to be calling it playing. Secondly I know from experience that crying won't make you feel any better… _buuut_ I think I know which two 'jerk-asses' you're talking about." I caught her attention if those big silver eyes peering up at me mean anything. "What do ya say to rounding up Yellow and scaring the shit out of those punks? That should make ya feel better!" I might be way too happy to intimidate these children, but fuck it. They mess with 'tiny and red' then they're gonna drown in the ocean that is me! Ruby responds by wiping her tears on my chest then looking up with a mischievous smile on her face.

Guess I'm the best damn towel on the market or something. Gotta be, right?

"That sounds awesome Sully! You always know what to do… Let's go get Yang! I think I saw her out back." She says, giving me one last squeeze hug before getting up and, surprisingly, waiting for me to follow. Doing just that, and in the process gathering up my holsters and payloads, I ask her something on my mind.

"And you came to me first, instead of her?" A good fucking question, right? This gets her to turn slightly, just enough to address me.

"Well… yeah, I guess. You're a better hugger." Wow, alright. Good to know where her priorities lay. Such flattery from Strawberry Shortcake! "Plus she was training. I don't want her to hug me when she's all sweaty and sticky!" Oh. I see how it is. Pretty fair point, over all. Can't blame her for that…

"C'mon already, let's go!" Ruby says, now grabbing my hand just after I finish latching my tank harness and dragging me through the house towards the back door. While she does, I can't help but notice how small she is compared to me. How small damn near _everyone_ is to me. The past two years have been good, especially for my training. _And_ my body. Seriously, I'm standing at about 6'2", even taller than I was before I 'died'! These growth spurts are fucking wack. I also managed to pack on another 60 pounds of muscle in the past two years, leaving me at a massive 240 pounds. Again, wack as fuck. I look like I'm about to meet Caesar Zeppeli any day now and fight against the Pillar Men. Except I'm not as tall, and I'm somehow even heavier. At this point, though, I'm not so much bulking up as I'm just getting dense as fuck. I have no idea how, either.

Ya boy is thick like a fucking smoothie. That just means that when it comes to my Speed and Weight style, you gotta be strong as hell to stop my hits.

My thoughts get cut as I notice Ruby lets go of my hand. Then my dumb ass realizes we finally made it outside. I gotta stop that, it's probably gonna get me stepped on by a Goliath or some shit. I hear something… almost like a tree is getting the ever-loving fuck beaten out of it! Better save that tree, dudes!

"Hang back for a sec, Ruby. I think I see some blonde over there." And that I did, me! But I also see an opportunity… for EVIL!

Sneaking over to Yang's circle of fucked up trees I take a moment to observe her. Out here in short-shorts, a crop top and a pair of chucks and holy shit is it hot out here? Kidding… I'm not. I'll be honest, going through puberty a second time is an _absolute nightmare_ of a bitch. Anyway, she's currently pummeling a **super dead** tree with her Ember Celica, but there's also obvious evidence that she's been practicing with her other set, Izlazac Sunca.

Like the name? She couldn't figure out what to call my little gift, so I made up one for her. I'm pretty sure it means Sunrise or something, but whatever it means it sounds cool as hell in my opinion! The Izlazac Sunca are a pair of shotgun gauntlets modified to be worn on Yang's feet. The set is worn like a second skin along the back of her shin, and the payload is delivered from near the heel. This actually helped Yang a lot in her fighting style, believe it or not. Now she fights with 3-dimensional space in mind, taking into account vertical attacks and launches instead of being just a brawler with the occasional air combo. And to think, all it took was the fear of explaining what the fuck _fellatio means._

I try not to think about that too much. My heart can't fucking take it.

Moving on, I notice that she _hasn't_ noticed me. She's way too busy killing the damn oak tree. So what else should I do except use my super powers to prank my girlfriend?

Releasing the latch on one end of the Flying Dutchman my tattoo lights up slightly, marking the use of my semblance in taking control of the newly introduced body of water. With an extremely happy smile on my face I urge my semblance to take the shape of a thin tentacle. Smiling even wider, I start snaking the tendril closer and closer to Yang until it rests in the grass directly behind her. The tentacle rises up like a snake, and busies itself with winding back, ready for the pitch. Better not do this too hard, I like my dick where it is, honestly.

Release!

A resounding smack echoes through the clearing as my 'little bro' just smacked Yang's ass, only drowned out by the shotgun blast from Ember Celica hitting that _victim_ of a tree. A pause was had.

"YAAAAAAAAAH~!" Yang cawed out in surprise, jumping and turning around in mid-air only to land and see my water snake sitting there innocently.

'Nice.' This was my only thought as I watched Yang rub her ass with a _massive_ pout, cheeks puffed up in embarrassment. Manipulating the water to do a little tentacle wave towards Yang I then call it back to the Flying Dutchman. As I re-latch the tank, I can't help the chuckle that bubbles up. Walking towards her, I see she's doing her fake-mad act, hands on those hips and an attempt to hide her smile.

"Hey there, Pervert! Watch where you're putting those tentacles, octopus boy. Don't wanna get… in over your head~!" She asks, obviously not annoyed if the mega-watt grin on her face is anything to go by. Now standing face to face (face to chin), I put my next plan into action. I quickly shoot past her defenses and plant a big smooch on her cheek, her instant reaction makes me laugh heartily. A look of wide-eyed shock and cute pink cheeks look back at me, encouraging me to give my answer.

"You know I don't need permission. I'm Victor Goddamn Sullivan! You love how cheeky I am anyway. And besides, maybe _you're_ the one in over your head…" Better get to the point of why I'm here before we get to far into this. Flirting is a dangerous, slippery road, my friends. "Before I forget, you're comin' with me to beat up some kids at the arcade because they bullied Ruby." Cue a burst of fire in her eyes. Like serious _fire._ "Rinse off and get changed, we're gonna make those kids piss themselves out of fear!" With that I start to turn around, only to be interrupted by Goldie Locks herself.

"Fuck yeah we are! But wait just a second…" Alright you got my attention. Turning back towards her I'm caught off guard by a plan of her own.

"PAYBACK!" She shouts, open palm now rocketing towards my blue jean short covered crotch. Seeing as she caught me off guard, she manages to make a touchdown.

"..."

"..."

So here I am, with Yang Xiao Long's hand on my qawck. Now what? How does one get out of 'The Junior' maneuver?

"Uhhm…. wow." She says under her breath, eyes wide and face pale. I'm pretty sure she successfully got me to blush this time…

"Watch it there, perv! Don't get a handful of dick and then say 'wow'!" Who's the real pervy sage here now, bombshell? I take her hand by the wrist and lift it off my dick before this situation escalates to… dangerous levels. I turn and start walking towards the house with Yang's hand still in mine, forcing her to stumble after me.

"I… there's just…. so much…" Wish people would quit telling me that, I'm starting to get self-conscious now!

"STAHP IT!"

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Just Outside Artie's Arcade µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Alright, I'll be totally honest. Since I arrived on Patch, I haven't been to the arcade even one time. Training keeps me an honest man! Given that, I have no fucking idea how to get there.

Unsurprisingly, Yang doesn't know where the fuck the arcade is either.

That's why as Yang and I walk down the main road, I have Ruby sitting on my shoulders, pointing out where to go. I got a chibi pretty much leading me around like a pig with a carrot on a stick. Taking one hand off Red's leg I adjust my new pair of shades that I got from Yang for my past birthday. I don't typically like glasses, but since she gave them to me I'll wear them anyway. She gave me a pair of round sunglasses, the lenses with an orange tint and the frames made of bronze. All in all, girly here got me a pretty cool gift that matches well with my other stuff.

"Look! There it is! I'm sure they're still inside too. They never leave unless they have to." Says Ruby from my shoulders, her voice almost entirely overtaken by enthusiasm. Shaking my head at how much bloodlust this tiny girl has, I almost continue the mission. _Almost._

I would have just gone inside with Yang and roughed up these little shits if I hadn't noticed the absence of something important while shaking my head…

 _Where the fuck muh hair at?_ Picking up Ruby from my shoulders, getting an adorable squeak and a fit of struggling from her and set here down in front of me. The look that bubbles up at her was probably _super_ intimidating and way too much, but this is important.

"Ruby, dude. Did you tie up my hair?" I ask the embarrassed looking kiddo in front of me with a steel like glint in my eyes. I can only hope that's what she did. If not that, then someone is going to _die._ No one fucks with the doo, dude. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Yang laughing at me, holding her hand over her damn mouth to hide it. Dick.

"Well… I tried to tell you! But it was embarrassing! While I was up there your hair kept tickling my legs and I couldn't take it anymore!" Ouch, kid. "Then Yang gave me a hair tie while you were thinking. You didn't say anything so I thought it was fine! It's just a ponytail anyway, it actually looks pretty good on you… Are you mad?" She looks like she's about to get hit. I… guess I don't mind too much.

"You look like a kicked puppy, Ruby." I swear to fuck, her puppy eyes just grew bigger. "I can't be mad at you for that. Especially when I tie my hair up by myself sometimes." For some reason, both of them look shocked. "You both look shocked. What, didn't expect that?" Did I mention I have a problem of blurting out my thoughts the moment they hit? I'm sure I've done it before.

"It's just…" Yang starts. "You've been around for almost three years now and I dunno about Ruby, but _I've_ never seen you with your hair up." Ruby nods in agreement. Never thought I was the sneaky type unless it involved swiping Dad's card, but you learn something new every day.

"I guess I'll start doing it during training if it pleases the mistress, fuck it right?" What are you looking at, fucker? They complimented my appearance and I happen to be a very vain person. Bite me.

As it tends to do, I can't help but listen to the music now stuck in my head.

 **Play Rich Brian - Trespass**

Turning towards the entrance I say only one thing.

"Alright girls, time to be intimidating." Yang smiles brightly at this and puts on her pair of aviators. Ruby seems busy playing with her hands.

"Ruby." I say as Yang and I walk towards the double doors in tandem, causing her to pop her head up at me. "Follow behind us. I got a plan." She does exactly that. Apparently I say that a lot, so people just stopped questioning me after a while.

Feels good man.

Now right in front of the doors, I look over to Yang to make sure she's ready for the shit to hit. She gives me a grin and a nod in response. As a pair we lift up one of our legs and on the count of one, let them fly.

Those poor doors didn't stand a chance! Serves them right, blocking my path and shit.

As the abused entrances crash open, it gives us a clear view, and the attention, of everyone in the building. My body easily blocks most of the light from my side, but it still lets in more than most of these kids have probably seen in the past week. With both Yang and I surveying the room for anyone that looks nervous, these two chodes are bound to slip up at some point. Ruby makes her way in between the giant that is me and the kickass goldie locks that is her sister, and immediately two kids off in a shady corner of the room flinch.

Targets are set, currently instilling fear into the prey.

Smacking Yang on the arm I easily get her attention, then pointing to the two boys in the corner almost looking like they're gonna piss as a defense mechanism. That's all she needs apparently, as she immediately stalks her way over to the poor, very, _very_ dead children. Guess _I'm_ the one playing follow the leader now.

"Russ and Gerico, man I should've known it was _you two_ little shits making trouble again." Berates Yang, and honestly I couldn't agree more. These two fuckers aren't exactly the malicious type, but they _are_ the biggest pair of pranksters on Patch. Think of a pair of Narutos running around, and you have Russ and Gerico to a tee.

"W-What do you two want? We haven't pranked you for, like, a month at least!" Russ, the little punk-ass with bleached spikey hair, stutters at us.

" **YEAH**! We learned our lesson last time not to mess with either of you two! It was just a shampoo prank anyway… and how come you use the same shampoo?" Corroborates Gerico, the local brat with a head of dreads. He also brought to the table a bit of a… _banger_ of a question.

"That's…" I dunno if Yang can find the words, she's looking kinda embarrassed right now. She's even biting her lip… cute!

"None ya business is what it is, brat!" Alright I can explain. My shampoo smells fucking rad. She wanted to use it and I gave her the 'go ahead' because it's just hair sauce, why would I keep it for myself? "And you're wrong that you haven't crossed us. Oh Ruby~? Front and Center!" And like a pokemon, she appears with a flutter of red between me and her sister with a salute. General Victor Arcadia Sullivan… has a nice ring to it, honestly.

"Oh… thaaaat. Yeah, we kinda- OH WHAT'S THAT?! Mom says we gotta go home _right now_ , let's go Gerico-" Panics Russ, attempting to run passed us only to be caught by the shoulder, the cause being a pissed off dragon named Yang. She then lifts him up and pins him to the wall with an intimidating smile that makes the kid visibly shiver. Let it be said, the smile Yang has on right now is… attractive.

Dear Diary,

I think I need professional help.

Thankfully, Russ is the stupid one of the two, Gerico being smart enough to stay in place. The look I'm giving him right now probably _encourages_ him to stay still, now that I think about it.

"So… w-what do you want from us?" Asks Gerico, visibly intimidated by our presence, as he should be. When Chicky and I work together to get some revenge, it takes damn near an army to stop us. With a smirk, I give him his answer.

"Apologize." Yes, fear me! I AM YOUR GOD! Or whatever. This sets off both of them at the same time.

"WE'RE SORRY WE TEASED YOU RUBY! PLEASE, FORGIVE US!" They yelled, synchronized.

"We really didn't mean to make you sad! You know how we are, though! We never really think about what we say!" Continued Gerico, he seems sincere enough… _maybe._

"Yeah! We were gonna apologize to you next time we saw you anyway. Honest! So can you call off your family?! They're **terrifying**!" Classic Russ, always a loud mouth.

"Well, what do you say, Ruby?" I ask, looking towards 'my charge'. She's got the most devious look on her face that I've ever seen. Hell, it might even match up to Neo, of all people. With her arms crossed, she puts the most evil plan in a century into motion.

"I'll forgive you…" She starts, obviously pausing to give them hope.

"Really? You're the best, Ruby!" Cheers Russ, Yang finally letting him fall to his own two feet.

"Yeah, you're awesome dude!" Says Gerico.

"... if you teach me how to kick ass on Ninja Fighter 6." What a devious little bitch… I've taught you well, young one.

"Uhhh… is that it? I don't really have a problem with that, honestly." Fucking right you don't have a problem with that, Russ.

"Yeah, that game is awesome! Let's go!" There goes Gerico. Russ and Ruby quickly follow him towards the other side of the arcade, intent on spending the rest of the day here.

"Mission accomplished?" Yang asks, looking over towards me with a smile.

"Fuck yeah it is. Low five." I say, holding out my hand while walking towards the entrance with her. A resounding smack was heard as she nails it with her own, completing the ritual with haste. As we make our way down the main path back towards the house, a question pops into my head.

"So… what do you wanna do now?" I ask her, leaving fate up to her.

"Well, I already finished my training, _sooo_ … you want to just get some ice cream and go to the beach?" Holy shit I'm in love right now.

"I knew there was a reason I love you." I say with a completely serious face. I'm dedicated to flattery.

"Uh, duh." She starts, stretching her arms upward and pushing out _'dem titties'_ as she likes to call em'. "It's my personality." Smug & blonde finishes, goofy grin on her face.

"... if you say so." I retort with a shrug, doing my best to sound as blasé as possible. A smack to my side was my immediate answer, causing me to chuckle at how violent my lovely girlfriend is.

"Shut _up_ , would you? You're so rude!" Yang says to me, now walking backwards in front of me so we can face each other.

"I'll have you know that flirting will get you _everywhere_ with me. Keep the compliments coming, Hunni!" I tease right back, giving the time tested 'bring it' motion towards her. A giggle was gotten, and my mission was complete.

"Well just don't forget the sun lotion when we leave for the beach… _you_ get to help me put it on~!" Yang says, turning around and walking off like she _didn't_ just say what she said.

" **WOOF.** " I say in response, now trying to catch up to her.

…

Puberty _fucking_ sucks, guys.

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Combat Class - Signal Academy µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

"Alright students, as you know graduation is right around the corner." Snore. "Only a few days left before you all are allowed to go to your respective choices for academic advancement. However, _this_ will be your last day as students at Signal Academy." Our teacher, Mr. Calloway says. Actually, that line is kinda interesting… I might even have to 'wake up' for this announcement.

"No fake sleeping in combat class, Sullivan." I roll my eyes at that, but apparently a good amount of people found that funny. Including Yang, which is gonna get her some payback later.

"Given that this will be our last combat class, we're going to be hosting a tournament style sparring match. Everyone who wishes to participate will be allowed to. In case you weren't aware, this class encompasses your _entire_ day at this academy today to accommodate the amount of rounds. Everyone who will be fighting, please come down to the arena." Fuck. _YES._

It's time to destroy and conquer.

After congregating on the stage, the match-ups began, leaving only two at a time and taking a good amount of time each match.

Let's do this!

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Disappointment is all that I feel.

I guess it should be expected with how… OP I am, but I haven't even been using my semblance! How is it _possible_ that my hand-to-hand style just _steam-rolled_ the competition into the dirt?

Then again, now that I think about it… I _have_ been training against no one but Yang, easily the toughest at Signal in the show. Alongside her are Qrow and then Tai, both full-fledged Huntsmen. Maybe I went overboard?

'...' An interesting thought.

'NAH.' Also a fucking stupid thought, if I have any say about it. BOW TO YOUR GOD, HUMANS… and faunus… I guess?

"Would the last two challengers of the tournament come to the stage? Your **fans** are waiting~!" Cheeky fuckin' teacher cunt. After the brackets were finished, Yang and I were unsurprisingly the only two left standing. Both of us have nearly full aura, which actually shocked me to hear. Just how much better than the norm are we to be barely scratched by the _entire tournament_?

Oh, and also I should explain just what the teacher meant by 'fans'. During our time at Signal, because of our interactions in public, Yang and I have become the school's 'Star Couple'. All the lovestruck boys and girls come to us for advice on being a couple and that makes me, like, _extremely uncomfortable._

So I just ended up fucking with them. These poor, confused youths have no idea what the difference between a first date and an anniversary date is.

I'm a cheeky one, people. Get with the program. Thing is, it's funny, so it's okay! Right?

Moving on from my mental break, I get up from my perch in the front row and with a swagger only matched by my girlfriend, I walk side-by-side with Yang down to the arena. Just as we were supposed to break off to our respective sides of the battle arena, I quickly grab Yang by the shoulder and turn her towards me.

Initiate Plan: School Idols.

"Wha-" Her obvious question was cut off by my lips crashing onto hers in a fit of passion. She quickly succumbs, and the kiss gets heated quickly. If one were paying attention, they would have noticed that we did this in front of the _Entire. Class._

My evil knows no bounds.

Gasps and squeals are heard abound all around us. It's at this point that I end the kiss and look my shocked girlfriend in the eyes.

"Good luck, Bombshell." I say with a wink, immediately turning on my heels and walking to my starting mark in the ring. By the way, I _love_ fucking with people. It sustains me.

…when did I become so jaded?

" _Ahem._ Ms. Xiao Long, would you please get into position? Or would you rather be called Mrs. Sullivan…?" Like I said, cheeky fucking teachers.

"I- you- grrr…" Oh wow, thanks teach! You just embarrassed her to the point of being angry. With a scowl on her face she stomps over to her own mark opposite me on the stage, turning and glaring at me with those violet eyes of hers.

Sigh.

'I'll just have to make it up to her later.' I think to myself, as is the fate of every boyfriend in existence.

"Let's have some fun, blondie!" A fist pump and a confident smile is all I gave, but that seems to have successfully knocked some of the funk out of her. Crunching her fists together with an excited smile, she gives me a response.

"You got it, beach bum. I'm not gonna go easy on you, either!" Wouldn't have it any other way, Yang. Let's do this shit.

"Are both contestants ready?" We both nod at the teachers' inquiry, neither of us leaving the others eyes. "Then I suppose we should… **BEGIN**!" Oh, Calloway. He likes to surprise us with suddenly starting matches.

 **Play Ken Ashcorp - Ryder or Riot**

The instant that Calloway signaled the match, I had my dukes up waiting for Yang's attack. With a blast of shotgun shells, she rockets across the arena to my left side, throwing a mean right hook to my neck which would have been devastating.

If only it landed.

Seeing her attack a mile away, I drop into a crouch and capitalize on Yang's newly found imbalance, due to missing her first hit. I spring up powerfully with my knee extended, catching her cleanly in the jaw and carrying her weight with mine up into the air for a good distance. Spittle flies from her between clenched teeth thanks to the devastating hit, Yang's eyes wide in surprise. Continuing my attack I raise both hands and clasp them together, then dropping them down with rippling strength onto the crown of her head.

Yang ends up flying into the ground with a hefty force, an earth-shaking crack marking her touchdown. I land on my hands in an improvised handstand, springing once again onto my feet with my only flourish being a corkscrew to face my opponent properly. Shit kid, I know that one hurt. Getting to her feet unsteadily, I decide its time to press my advantage.

Breaking into a brief sprint, then into a roll towards my target, I extend my legs at just the right moment to launch myself with both feet towards the Blondie in front of me. Once close enough, I give her a concrete-tough grasp on her sides, taking her down to the floor with me once more in another roll.

This one, however, is gonna hurt the passenger. _It's gonna hurt_ _ **very much**_ _._

Upon completion of the first tumble, I abruptly brace myself and flatten out with Yang remaining under my grasp. This, in turn, causes her to hit the floor with both my weight and hers multiplied dramatically by centrifugal force. My boi Newton doesn't let me down, either. Upon impact with the floor her head cracks with a deafening thud. It's so loud that I almost feel bad. _Almost._ If only she hadn't kicked me in the dick during our last spar… then I might regret the pain I gifted to her.

In the end I know better. She'd hurt me a lot worse than I could if I ever even _thought_ of going easy on her.

Believing to have time, I give a glance at the aura board and mark hers at nearly the halfway point, meaning that move I just pulled off stings like a bitch.

"Oh Honey~!" What? I turn back to my captive, now confused that she sounds completely fine after what I just pulled off.

What greeted me was a pair of red eyes and boots, coupled with the shotgun toting weapons that _I bought_ for her _._

"I'm home~!" Yang says with a bloody vengeance in her voice. With narrowed eyes she thunders her legs into my chest, tossing me off her and into the air with ease, even despite my generous weight.

'Fuck, this is getting serious now.' Was the only thought that ran through my head at the moment. Well, besides the mood song that always seems to follow me. Persistent bastards….

 **Play Royal Blood - Out of the Black**

Guess its time to get serious.

I hit the ground hard, jolting my body painfully against the concrete floor. I do my best to scramble to my feet before I get caught by the now _pissed_ Yang and her semblance, but it was never meant to be. Before I can regain my senses I'm bombarded by a wave of Burn Dust shotgun rounds.

Lemme tell ya, those fuckers _sting_ like a bitch.

Better to keep on the move instead of just taking this punishment. Breaking into a sprint in a clockwise motion around my enemy, I force myself to think of a new tactic. Quickly reaching into my pouch I grab four pieces of ammunition and prepare for my new plan to dominate.

Putting up my arms into a bit of a meat shield, I decide to take the hits for the sake of the fight. As I run head on at my cute opponent, she _absolutely_ didn't stagger her wave of attacks. Hell, I counted at _least_ 15 rounds impacting my body before I managed to reach her.

Upon getting within range I duck into a spin to maximize the weight of my next hit. Once I complete the spin I end up going with a sweeping kick, which actually succeeds in taking her off her feet and slamming her face down into the floor.

"Man, that looked like it hurt there, Momma!" I tease, immediately taking hold of her ankles for my next move.

Anchors one and two are set.

Tossing her upwards so that her waist is now at arm level, I catch her. This sets anchors three and four and has me set up for my next move. Before I can execute, however, she manages to send quite a few gut-crushing punches my way, each one landing with increasing clarity. I steel my eyes and launch Yang into the air, sending her careening directly upwards once more. Only difference is I put a good bit of strength behind this toss, giving me a much needed moment to open the Flying Dutchman, get Solaire from its holster and shift it to Queen with a simple flourish.

I'm ready to end this.

In an impressive display of acrobatics, Yang manages to right herself in midair and land on her feet perfectly, leaving just enough space for a final charge. By the look of the aura board, we're both about done. A couple hits should do it.

"You ready to finish this?" I ask, making sure to keep Queen hidden from her sight.

"You bet, hubby. Just don't finish before I do~!" She teases at me. What a shameless, _awesome_ woman I've fallen in love with. Let's be cocky, shan't we?

"Give me your best shot and I'll take you out on a date, Honey." Something about this feels familiar… something about mint chip? I'm sure I'll think about it in a minute.

Moving on from tha- holy shit her hair is, like, _on fire_ and shit.

…

Rad.

That fire is also translated to her eyes, now full of fierce determination. Me likey.

With no more warning than what I get from a heartbeat, Yang rushes me with fervor, a trail of bright flames streaming behind her. As she approaches, she still hasn't seemed to notice that I didn't participate in rushing her as well. My trap remains safe.

Finally within reach, she leads with a powerful roundhouse, caught by yours truly. In retaliation she proves her acrobatic abilities once more by jumping up and twisting in such a way that she sits on my shoulders with my neck now in a choke-hold courtesy of Yang's thighs. I can't see here, but I can recognize smug when I hear it.

"Checkmate, Hunk. I'm expecting that date today, obviously." Ever so confident, are we? Let's crush that.

"On the contrary, my dear Yellow." Ew, I sound like a fuckin dweeb. I don't like this voice. Now revealing Queen quite clearly to Yang, her thighs tighten around my neck. Luckily, I got backup. Within seconds, tendrils of water wrap themselves around Yang's neck, effectively putting her in the same situation.

"I think the term is draw. In simpler words: you say checkmate, I say yeet." God is the smile on face getting any more smug? Yes. Yes it will, fucker. "By the way, I'd check myself for electric anchors if I were you~!"

"Alright, _alright_ , I get it! No need to rub it in, bitch…" She retorts with some verbal annoyance.

"Whatever, jerk. You know you love me!" This gets no response from her, and that makes me laugh my heart out.

"So? What's the verdict, teach?" I hear Yang ask, which momentarily confuses me, until realization hits me like a bullet train.

'Oh shit. Mr. Calloway.' I… might've forgotten we were in class. Oh well. At least these heathens got a free show, right? Eager to be done, I also look to the teacher, only slightly obscured by the thickness of Yang's thighs, for his calling of the match.

"Well… this is a hard one. Technically speaking it's a draw. However, Sully's forethought and planning towards the end would give him a leg up in a _real_ competition… no. I'm ruling this fight a draw. Congratulations you two on being such _perfect_ partners for each other~!"

Okay, firstly barf. Dude I've never wanted to be congratulated by a teacher for something like that. Second, those damn stars in his eyes make me uncomfortable. Sometimes that charisma multiplier of mine is a real pain, ya know?

"That marks the end of the class, everyone. You're all free to go, and good luck in this world of ours!" Sappy, but it got nothing but cheers from our audience and classmates. Immediately as one being, the entire class trampled over each other trying to get out of the classroom, with the teacher jumping out the window, as he tends to do.

What a weird guy.

All this commotion left me alone with Yang in the middle of the now empty arena, her still sitting on my shoulders while I put away Solaire and Queen, also retracting the water to the Dutchman. As I walk to the door, I hear something from my shoulders that makes me stop in my tracks.

"Hmph!" Shit.

"What is it? Air getting thin up there?" I ask, falling back on teasing as my best defense. Not gonna lie, if I fucked up and made her mad at me I have no idea what it was that I did. I'm kinda airheaded unless I have a plan in mind. Stop laughing at me, cunts…

"Well, how come you always put up the stakes for a date when we fight? I guess I'm just… confused…" Oh is that it? That's not a hard question at all! Time to make the most romantic move in the galaxy, bois.

Bending over in a jerky motion I succeed in making Yang fall from her perch with a shout from her. Quickly reacting, I catch her in my arms.

Bridal Style, kids. The king has made his fucking move.

Much to my surprise, she doesn't start struggling. Giving me almost the _exact opposite_ reaction, the cheeky little cunt starts to get _comfortable_ instead. I think I'm rubbing off on her too much if _that's_ the first thing she does.

"I can answer that one easy!" I say with a laugh, looking into her eyes. "I obviously have a reason behind it. Firstly, dates with you are damn fun! Second, it makes you fight even harder when something's on the line. And last, there's something about you when we're fighting… I can see how happy it makes you while we're sparring. That fire I can see in your eyes… it's righteous. It's just one of the things that I think make you beautiful." I swear to the true god, Ryan Reynolds, that as soon as I said that she lit up like a fucking attraction in Time's Square. That dopey smile and blush is something to be protected. And if I'm not mistaken, that little hair antenna of hers is wagging like a dog's tail… **interesting.**

" _Awwwww~!_ That's sooo sweet! Kinda sappy though." Alright, you asked for it now blondie. Get ready for the goddamn punchline.

"Well, you didn't let me finish! You've also got a _rockin'_ pair of-" Just as I was about to finish, Yang cuts me off with a quick kiss on the lips. Shocking, right? That's my fucking move… stolen right in front of me. Disgraceful.

"Don't tease me, you'll ruin my moment!" She finishes with a smile and a bit of a glare sent my way, hands resting on her cheeks while she kicks her legs back and forth childishly. Honestly, she's not wrong. "Besides, we have a date to get to, right? I think it'll involve that new PlumHouse movie, a bowl of popcorn, the comfort of the living room _aaaaand_ ….. if you're _gooood~…_ " She takes a pause to lean in towards me. Where the hell is she going with this? As a side note, PlumHouse studios is apparently a thing here, the alternate version of BlumHouse. And yes, they still make _fucking batshit_ horror movies. Very Nice!

" _I'll let you lick whipped cream off_ _ **me.**_ " I'm about 900 percent sure she nipped at my ear after she said that. _Oh_ my fucking god Yang. Don't worry, I can explain this. I- uh… this last year has been… 'eventful'. Ever since I bought her Izlazac Sunca she's been getting more and more 'bold' towards ya boi. A far cry from the Yang that blurted out that I was cute the first time I met her. Still, it started out with hugs and quick pecks on the lips… now it's come to this. Naturally I could only really have one reaction. Pay attention, ya might learn some shit.

"* **wheeze** * Oh it is so fucking ON! Hold on tight, princess!" Okay, she caught me off guard. My personality really _is_ rubbing off on her… isn't it? I immediately take off running through the halls of the school, still carrying her bridal style.

"That's it, carry your Queen, my King!" She shouts, laughing all the way to the front doors of signal. One well-placed kick sends them flying off their hinges and **out** of my **way.** I keep running the entire way home, excited for the night to come.

Ya know, legend says that the doors of Signal Academy were never quite the same again… hah!

Wouldn't that be some shit!?

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Xiao Long Residence µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

"Hey Sully? Uh… Sully?" Did you hear something…? Maybe it was just the wind.

Whose footprints are these?!

'I just graduated Signal. That… went by kinda quick, didn't it? It's already been _four_ years since I got here… and **nobody** has told me to put a shirt on.' I think to myself, honestly incredulous that during my entire four years at Signal they allowed me to go around with my shirt tied around my waist.

" **HEY! SULLYYYYY!** " Wow, if anything will get my attention, a sure-fire way to do it is to _yell in my fucking ear!_

"What the fuck?! Are you trying to- oh hey Yellow. What's up my dude?" If anyone else did that I'd probably be like 'how the fuck did you get into my house'.

"First, don't call your girlfriend 'dude'. Second, me and Ruby are going into Vale to do some stuff and we were wondering if you wanted to come." She states, taking her time to sit down _on me_. I know I don't look like the recliner I'm sitting on, sooo…

You think she might like me, guys? What should I do?!

"Whatever. I guess I wouldn't mind going to Vale, I need to stop by and see Garrett anyway." I sigh, wrapping my arms around her waist lazily. "What are you two gonna be doing?"

"Ruby said she wants to get a new weapons magazine from that Dust Till Dawn shop she likes and I'm gonna check out some club I heard about. I need some info…" Me thinks I smell foreshadowing.

"Dear Diary, I found out my girlfriend is a detective today…" I tease, pinching her side as punctuation. With those crop tops she loves to wear, I can't help myself! She's so pinch-able. This gets me a squeak and an elbow to the side.

Aura is awesome guys, I don't even feel the pain of domestic violence!

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Ya know, I honestly didn't think I'd get to have my own trailer. Then again, yours truly has kinda forced himself into the main cast. As I got this thought in my mind, something came with it… a line from somewhere I can't quite place…

 _'_ _Those you love the most are prone to be caught by your own misfortune. Lives salvaged either through change or complacency, fate rests in your palm.'_

Holy shit this _is_ like the trailers, I even get my own defining quote burned into my fucking soul.

 _Sweet._

Also, it's pretty fuckin' late. I doubt we'll get back in time for the last ferry back to Patch. Funny that making it back to the ferry on time is what's on my mind, of all things as I'm coming up on Garrett's shop. Did I grow up a bit in the past four years?

Fuck I hope not, my personality is top-notch!

The sound of shattering glass makes me break out of my mirth. If I know how this anime cross-breed world works by now, that's a goddamn plot point. In the back of my mind, however, I knew just where the noise was coming from.

Garrett Gray's Death-Makers. The shop I'm here to visit.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm kinda worried right now. Over the years Garrett became something like a personal friend of mine. I gotta say, the snarky Brook of an old man makes a damn good one, too. I know that I probably don't have much to worry about, him being a retired Huntsman and all, but I don't want to take that chance. Unlatching the Flying Dutchman and pulling out Solaire, I feel ready to take on whatever trouble Remnant flings my way.

As I round on the shop, the first thing I notice is the windows. They're shattered and most of the easily swiped weaponry is gone, leaving behind only the heaviest and most expensive ones.

"Fuck old man, what have you gotten into?" I mutter under my breath, unwilling to give away my position in case I'm right about what's happening. I stand before the door and take a deep breath, my tattoo sleeve lighting up dangerously as gallons upon gallons of water coil on the ground at my feet, ready for the command to strike. Putting my weight on my back leg, I lift the other in preparation for a kick.

'And all this with a full moon to my back… how cinematic.' A cheeky shit is what I am, a cheeky cunt is what I be.

Let's rock.

 **Play Audioslave - Show me how to Live**

I let go of the breath I was holding and let my foot fly, with my weight I easily force the door off its hinges with a thundering crack. The door nearly splinters as it hits the counter, the figures before me stumbling out of the way with barely any time to spare. Taking a look at them, I can't help but chuckle.

"Let's see here. Red shades, red ties, bowler hats and some fucked-up eyebrows… yep you're definitely Junior's men, no doubt about it! Question is, are you fuckers the ones who did this to my favorite weapons shop?" Good questions aside, that comment about their eyebrows (dress code) got me some growls from the four guys. To my surprise, my boy Garrett was the one to answer from behind his counter, now wielding an absolutely _massive …_ **triple-barreled shotgun**?!

Holy shit I think I know why he retired now. That monster could tear a lesser mans' arm clean off his fucking body! The fucker probably has arthritis like a sonovabitch!

Anyway, I should try not to forget about the criminals in front of me.

"I can answer ya that! They came in, took all my shit, and then planned on leaving the entire time. Just like marriage! YOHOHOHOHO!" Goddamn it, Garrett. Never change.

Despite Garrett's lack of survival skills, I subconsciously decided these four weren't worth my time. Lifting my right arm, the eyes of my tattoo start glowing with a dangerous orange light. The massive amount of water at my feet heeds my command, rushing towards the cannon fodder with a force. All four tried to put up a fight, but were ultimately trapped by my tentacles and tendrils constricting their legs, arms and heads almost like a snake would.

"Suffocate." I say, causing the water under my command to completely submerge the four lackey's heads. I decide to spare them the _'pleasure'_ of drowning. Taking aim with Solaire, I nail an anchor onto the torso of each baddie.

Twirling my revolver like I'm hot-shit, it shifts into Queen without a sound. Ya know, I think I'll be dramatic here.

"Kneel, you bunch of sorry bastards! KNEEL BEFOERE THE KING!" By dramatic I might have meant insane, but it's all the same to me. Punching my thumb on the trigger, I watch in satisfaction as one-by-one they go limp. Not dead, obviously, but out of the fight without debate.

"Was that it? I didn't think you were the type to get pushed around, old man…" He shouldn't have had any trouble with a couple goons, right?

Unless…

"It ain't over yet, sonny. There was another. Short, pink and brown, and an Oum-damn umbrella. She's crafty too, so watch out. She's silent as a heart attack." He informs me, now surveying his _wrecked_ shop with a careful eye, shotty at the ready and an itchy trigger-finger.

You gotta be fucking me, right? I have to fight Neo, of all people, for my intro trailer? Ain't that about a bitch…

The sound of shattering glass tips my dumb-ass off, and since I can't see anything in front of me, that can only mean one thing. Immediately using a roll to dodge to the left, I spring back up and train my eyes on the source.

There, standing at a cute 4'10", pink, brown and white abound on her person, with the most sadistic smirk I've ever seen in my life, was Neopolitan. Parasol outstretched and resting where my previous position was, obviously an attempt to stab the king. That counts as treason, my dear!

In all seriousness, I might fucking die here in a second.

"Garrett, I need you to get out of here and get some help. I'm sure you can find someone, gramps. I don't think either of us have a chance against her, and with your semblance you can see it too, can't you?" I don't need eyes in the back of my head to know that he's looking at me like I'm insane. With any luck the fucker might find someone powerful enough to scare her off. An alien can dream, can't he?

"I… shit I guess so. You're a lot fresher than I am, you might hold her off longer than I can hope to. Just… don't die, kid." I have no idea what he's doing as he raises one arm up, but as he throws it down and a burst of smoke appears in his place I figure it out.

Off-brand Brook just pulled a ninja vanish. Crafty son of a bitch. Focusing back on the physical manifestation of smug before me, I see she hasn't taken her eyes off me. All she does is blink once, forcing her eyes to switch hue and twirls her parasol over her shoulder in a taunt. That damn smirk is creeping me the fuck out right now. The boots _are_ hot though.

Master plan time. Who the fuck am I, Joseph Joestar?

"Well, aren't you about the sexiest criminal in Vale." I 'compliment' her, making her smirk grow wider. "I gotta be honest though, the impending death is a _serious_ boner-killer." I say with a wide smile, laughing a little at my own joke.

Yes, that's right. My only hope is to make her like me enough during the fight that she doesn't feel the overwhelming urge to mutilate me. How far the mighty have fallen.

Or is my plan something else? You'll never know!

Charisma Multiplier, don't fail me now! Fuck, please don't fail me now!

She winks at me as I lift my right arm with a bright smile, huge spikes of water rising up behind me in trademarked spooky fashion.

"I think we should get a little star gazing into our date, what about you Honey?" Taunts are always endearing, right? I punctuate my one-liner with a strong thrust of my tattooed arm, causing the wall of waves behind me to part around me and rocket forward, hitting Neo with more than enough force to launch her out of the front door into the streets.

"Wait up! So impatient…" I shout, jogging calmly out of the building. I might seem pretty at ease on the outside, but that's on purpose. People like her can smell fear, and I want to establish myself as a fun fight-buddy, not prey.

Surviving is hard.

As I clear the doorway, or what's left of it, I'm greeted to an empty street. Nothing out of the ordinary… to the eyes of a lesser being. But I am the **ULTIMATE** form.

I also have knowledge about Remnant that I probably shouldn't.

It goes to reason that even though I can't _see_ her, I should still be able to _touch_ her, follow me? So with but a thought and a sweeping motion from my arm, I execute the special technique I just thought up. I think I'll call it ' **The Wanting Hand** '.

I can't even deny the song that comes into my head.

 **Play Alice in Chains - Man in the Box**

The Flying Dutchman empties a good amount out, spilling onto the pavement below my feet. At my command, it spreads out in the form of thousands of tiny tendrils, all writhing and feeling for anything it can hook into. Neo may be able to prevent me from seeing her, but nothing on the ground can escape this technique. I survey the street, waiting for my bloodhounds to get a grip on the invisible girl, and to my surprise it fucking worked.

Not even 10 feet to my left my tendrils began viciously attacking something. With the sound of shattering glass Neo was revealed, tied up like a birthday present. Only thing is, she doesn't look worried at all. Hell, for all I know, her being caught might _be_ the illusion. At this point though, I need to take whatever chance I can get. Equipping Solaire I quickly fire five rounds, all strategically spread around the area of capture. I can see the taunting look on her face, tongue sticking out at me and eyes closed. Did she miss what happened to her buddies?

Guess I have to show her. With a quick twirl, Queen was now in my hand and without a second to lose the button was pressed down.

The light show was amazing, I'd definitely go again next year! While Neo lit up like a damn Christmas Tree, I kept my eyes open for any sign of trickery. Now would be the perfect time to pop up and gank me. Lo and behold, I hear the tell-tale sound of something cutting through the air, easily dodged by the water moving me out of the way. _Seriously_ cool, that little trick. Almost like having water skis on my feet! The illusion over what my tendrils had caught shatters, revealing a simple metal trash can, albeit one with a shit ton of puncture holes in it now. This tells me just what kind of illusion she uses. Instead of bending minds like Emerald, she effects the physical world. Interesting.

Turning around towards the real Neo, I already have a plan of attack in mind. From the pool of sea water at my feet spawns three _massive_ tentacles, each one measuring upwards of twenty feet. With my bois towering over the buildings in the street, I easily knock Neo off her game. Her eyes wide and jaw to the floor, I will the three monsters to lunge towards her with deadly precision. She manages to dodge all three with some difficulty, the second in the line of attack grazing her arm and nearly stumbling her enough for the third to impale her cleanly through the stomach. I let the three behemoths continue their paths after they were avoided, easily drilling into the concrete and brick alike. I can barely notice with all the adrenalin in my system, but something feels… off. It's like there's a tightness somewhere…

Getting up from her position she looks at me with some measure of shock, almost definitely not expecting me to have that much power behind my attacks. Leaving the three tendrils to rest where they impacted, I one again spread 'The Wanting Hand' with my remaining supply and wait with Solaire in my left hand. Her eyes quickly flick behind me, widening before that sadistic smirk pops back on her face. Looking me in the eyes she winks with a cocked hip, flourishes her weapon and then quickly shatters into pieces, the street going silent. I'm smart enough to know it isn't a trick this time.

"Son of a whore! She got away…" I probably shouldn't sound as disappointed as I do, but I was kinda… having fun.

"Yes, well… the few gifted with illusion-based semblances are often hard to combat." Explains a voice not too far behind me. I can safely say I didn't expect it.

"HOLY SHIT!" Told you I didn't expect it, you should really listen to me sometime.

With as much grace as I could muster I retract my three tendrils from the brick walls and point them in the direction of the voice, my own body and Solaire quickly following. With the writhing puddle at my feet that makes up 'The Wanting Hand' I'm sure I make an impressive sight. With the moonlight, coupled with my knowledge I don't think I could be confused of who the old man sent my way...

With a neat black suit, a green turtleneck adorned with a cross, a pair of funkadelic glasses and white-as-fuck hair, I'm sure of who just joined me.

"Ya know, when I asked Garrett to get some help I didn't think he'd find a headmaster." I say, a bit incredulous as I holster my revolver and go about retracting the water around me. Ozpin might look amused, or he might look hungry. Can anyone really tell with ol' stone face over here?

"We have a habit of finding things we don't expect." Ever the cryptic shit, aren't we? The green olive starts walking my way, it doesn't look like he'll stop for the remaining water that's left either. With a sigh I part that shit like Moses, leaving a clear path for him. "Like myself, for example. I didn't expect to find someone with such impressive control over their semblance tonight, but here we are." Did this motherfucker just quirk an eyebrow at me? Finally finished siphoning my portable ocean back into the tank, I latch it shut. I look up to Ozzy-boy with a smile and say only one thing.

"Interesting?"

"Oh yes… very much so." Is that a smile I spy, with my little eye?

Interesting…

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

So for the past 20 minutes, Ozzy and I have been sitting in the Vale Police Department 'dark room' chowing down, each of us with a turkey and swiss sandwich.

Weird, right? When I asked him about it though, all he said was 'it's been a long day'. I can't argue with him there. Besides, my mind's on other shit right now. Important shit.

"Ya know, my _favorite_ cheese would probably have to be Pepper Jack, but honestly Swiss comes in at a close second. It's all about what you eat it with." I say, still busy eating.

"I know what you mean, Sully. I've always been partial to Gouda, myself. It's a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine." He responds, neatly taking a bite of his sandwich.

Yes, we've been talking about food for the past 20 minutes. Shut up. Important male bonding is at hand.

"Yeah, Gouda is pretty good too. Have you ever tried melting it inside-" My flow of knowledge was cut off by a loud beep, given that Ozpin's busy sighing with a heavy slump to his shoulders, I can guess it's his scroll.

"Someone's calling your name, Ozzy." I tease the much older headmaster, getting an eye roll in return as he looks at his new message.

"I'm quite aware, thank you. You should probably also be aware that Ruby Rose just fought Roman Torchwick and is now also here. I'll speak to her next, so we should wrap this up soon." He informs me, sending a quick reply to who I can guess is Glynda and then pocketing his scroll once more.

"Ruby fought the biggest, most successful criminal in Vale?" I ask with a flat expression, getting only a nod in return. "That sounds like her. Wrapping this up is fine with me, I have to go make sure my girlfriend doesn't get arrested anyway." I say, almost serious about that. In reality I'll probably have to wait for Ruby to get done then we'll go find her together.

"I have a few questions for you, and you can be on your way to do just that. First off… what's your favorite fairy tale?"

Oh, what's that god? Time to pick a fairy tale from the _massive_ book I read when I first got here? Got it!

"I don't know if you've heard of it before, but my absolute favorite fairy tale is Jack the Giant Killer." I give a pause, only because Ozpin's eyes just focused on me like I said something _incredibly_ interesting. To be fair to the fairy tale-obsessed man, this is pretty much his hobby. I doubt he's met anyone who idolizes easily one of the top 10 bloodiest tales in this world. "It's said that when the Grimm first started appearing, a small-town man known only as 'Mad Jack' to everyone he met went out on a journey to kill only the biggest ones he could possibly find. It said he wielded a sword twice as tall as any man, and could kill a Deathstalker in one hit. He ended up going to all four of the lands we call kingdoms, and even further. At the end of the book, it details a fight between him and a _Leviathan,_ of all things _._ He managed to kill one all by himself. He had to have been insanely powerful." I finish my rant, looking towards him only to find a face of intrigue, mixed with… melancholy?

Weird.

"A very interesting choice… that question was really just one of curiosity on my part, this second one is a great deal more serious." Here it comes, motherfucker. "How would you feel about attending my school, Beacon Academy?" Smacked in the face by my future, I love it!

"I feel awesome about it since you already accepted my application. The end-year fight recording from Signal was included, so you already knew everything about me, didn't you? Cheeky headmaster." I accuse him, actually getting a chuckle from the embodiment of poker face.

"You're correct, I've already looked over and personally accepted your file. I _was_ surprised, however, when I found you tonight defending a weapons shop from a group of criminals. With the evidence presented by your younger sister Ruby, however, I think I can say it's a trend for young people these days." He pauses in his answer to adopt a look of thought, quickly turning into one of resolution. "I don't usually do this, but consider this a personal invitation to attend Beacon from me." I'm sure you don't, Ozzy. "Hold it over the heads of your peers if they get too… overbearing."

"Such trust in me, headmaster. I really have no choice but to accept!" I say that like it's a burden, but I can't stop the smile from reaching my face. This gets a smirk from him as he lifts up from the table, gathering his cane in the process.

"One last question."

"Hit me." He hits me with a look I can't quite decipher.

"Are you the one that bought a set of shotgun bracers, roughly 234 cones of ice cream from Basket Blue Jay's, and a long list of miscellaneous construction supplies with a card from your father Qrow, which gets charged to my organization's rather large account?" He asks in a flat monotone. You know what they say to do if you ever get caught 'stealing' from your new headmaster's group of super heroes protecting the world?

Yea, I didn't get that memo either.

"Hmmmmmmmmmm…. yes." I answer, puffing up with pride. Better to own up to it and not lie to his face about his own money. To my immense surprise, all he does is take a black card just like Qrow's and slide it across the table in front of me. Looking up at him as I pick up the lien card, he only tells me this.

"Keep it up, it drives my assistant crazy." With that the headmaster turns and walks out of the dark room, leaving just me and the few sandwiches left on a plate.

…

I...

"I fucking love my charisma multiplier…" Is all I can manage to mutter.

Now if only I can figure out what to do with this number Neo slipped into my pocket.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Chapter 4 µµµµµµµµµµµµ END µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Omake - Crows and Ravens, The Beckoning of Power µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

*Tink*

And with that ground shaking sound my genetic fate was sealed. My future now rested in the palm of my hand. Turning it here and there slightly with the hand I caught it, I couldn't help but for some reason feel…. disappointed. Soaking in the details, I notice the matte black slate making up the container, carved with decals of feathers and wings. Adorning the top, a stopper shaped like a bird's head.

"Murder of Crows…. An interesting catch, I guess. Not my favorite, but it's better than nothing." I think I have a frown on my face. I was really wanting something else… I don't wanna become Itachi and then kill my entire clan. Fuck that shit.

With one hand on the fabric of my current reality and one hand gripping my new bottle of gene juice, I bite off the head of the bird and spit it into the void, never to be seen again. With a deep sigh I knock it back, chugging every drop in the bottle. Let's get this shit over with already!

Guess what? Must have been a bad batch, because even as I waited for a reaction, nothing happened. Nothing that I could see, feel or hear changed. Ya boi just got ripped the fuck off.

"SONUVABITCH! What the fuck man!" I just launched the bottle into the void below me. Considering I just drank about a liter of snake oil, I don't fucking care. I shake my head to get rid of the anger in my heart. Nothing like getting ripped off to mark an adventure to a new world, am I right? Damn it.

Hurling myself with all the strength I could over the barrier of technicolor I'm hanging from, I can't help but think that this is gonna be an absolute _shit_ time _._

 **North Shoreline of Patch Island ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Let it be said that I did not stick the landing. What with 7 gunshot wounds, a fucked leg, and two now very sore arms, how could I have? Still, I'm sure I could have hoped for a bit better than a face full of sand and rock. Mostly rock, actually… I could've landed on my back at least. Too little too late I guess, but whatever. I have more pressing matters to address. Like the fact that since I'm now out of the… I'll just keep referring to it as void… I am now experiencing the near crippling pain of my injuries.

"F-ffffuck, maybe I s-should have actually chosen the med bay… this beach can't help me, I'm f-fuckin bleeding out over here…" My voice was barely above a whisper, I must be worse off than I thought. I have to try for a while before I manage to flop onto my back, causing a massive surge of pain to go through me. As I force myself to choke down a moan of pain I weakly look my bloodied body over, I noticed my leg seemed a bit better off than it was last time I checked. Now instead of looking like a meat-filled sock, it looked more like I'd mauled. Still pretty bad, but progress is what I told myself. Maybe it was the vigor? Guess it doesn't matter right now.

"I suppose there's n-nothing to do but wait. Hope someone finds me before…" I trail off quietly, now fighting a battle just to keep my eyes open.

It's a losing battle, obviously. I'm on the verge of passing out, but something interesting happens which hooks my attention just enough to keep me from a black out. A muted noise, but still something distinctly sharp echoes off the surrounding landscape. Rocky. Red eyes.

"Everyone gets one. But you're interesting... You get two. One now, one later." A surprisingly velvety voice says to me. At this point all I can do is hear, having already lost the battle to keep my eyes open. I, however, don't need my eyes to know who this is, I'd never be able to mistake that sound and that voice being in the same place.

Raven Branwen.

You know, the bitch that leads a fucking _camp of thieves and murderers._ Uh, _fuck_ that shit, son. Time to test out if this vigor actually works or not. Mustering up all the strength I could to lift my arm towards her I try to flair…. whatever it is that I'm feeling.

Something happened, to my surprise.

Not quite what I thought was gonna go down, not by a long shot, but I can safely say that I didn't get the shaft with a knockoff vigor or some shit like that.

The first thing that happens is my vision goes yellow. As far as my little mind can tell, there isn't any discernible color anywhere, except for earthy tones that I can't see passed anymore. Next, from the corner of my now fading vision, a burst of black feathers marked the arrival of a person. Bet you can guess, if you try hard enough. Qrow's eyes are glowing red, the only color that penetrates my wall of sepia tone.

Weird thing is, Raven shows no interest in the fact that her brother just popped up. In fact, she isn't moving. Neither of them are.

There ain't no fucking way this is real. Buuuuuut… let's test my unbeatable luck, shall we?

"Uhhh… Hmm. Kneel." I have no idea what I'm doing, dude.

Without a sound, both get on one knee in front of me. That just fucking worked. _That just fucking worked?!_

"Oh my fuck! Okay, okay… get up! Up!" They did just that.

Holy shit this is too much power for one dying man. At this point I realize I'm still dying. About to pass out even, if the fading vision is anything to go by. Better come up with a plan…

"Uh, don't let me die. Or bleed out. Alright?" Both nod.

'I dunno if this is gonna be fun at all, honestly.' Was the only thought I had before passing out. Hope I wake up. I can already tell these two are just walking corpses.

 **Omake End µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 _Oh the classic and much beloved 'Sandwich Eating Scene' of High Tides, which weirdly enough turned out to be one of my favorites to write so far._

 _I got an odd sense of humor, I guess._

 _So, fuckin', how was it bois and gorls? Pretty good, right? I think I'm getting better at this shit the further I go with it._

 _Leave me some comments and shit, I like reading them and they make me feel all warm, fuzzy and slightly barfy on the inside._

 _By the way, if you ever want to know what's up if I'm taking a long time with the new chapter or if you want to let me know what your favorite type of cheese is and how you eat it, feel free to PM me. I don't mind at all. As you can tell, I'm a talkative son of a bitch._

 _Anyway, Shore out!_

 _Until next time, my addicted people._


	5. Aqueducts of the Gods

_*Edited as of 2/9/19. This one was the least fucked out of all of them so far, interestingly enough. Still worth going through in the end. Enjoy some almost-smut, mai boi.*_

 _Uh oh, looks like that mother fucker Shore is back with some marginally better shit._

 _Anyone wanting to play the 'How close am I willing to get to writing actual porn before I get in trouble' game? No but seriously, I've got some mild sauce for you guys this time around. I think it's pretty alright for a newbie who tried to write something 'sensual' or whatever._

 _On the real-real though, sorry for taking so long to get back here. I got a little busy with some doctor stuff, but shit's fine in the end._

 _Let's check out the comments from last time right quick, yeah?_

 _Managed Dragoon- I'm glad you're liking my memes and stuff, and you like how I'm fleshing out the characters too. Just be ready, you're gonna get pretty much a topical spread of a good amount of 'new' characters to the story and some fun quirks to read too. And trust me, the teams are gonna be interesting_

 _Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch- Yo my bro… neither. You're close as fuck though, and it's gonna be a pretty rare set up in my opinion. I think I can count on one hand the number of fics I've personally seen on do this on both hands. Keep those comments coming buddy, I love responding to them_

 _Guest- Thank you, my stranger with a silver tongue. I fucking love you, hombre._

 _0-Tengetsu-0- It'd probably be the Arcadia trailer. I didn't just pick it for his middle name because of bioshock, ya know! It's actually, surprisingly enough, a color of aqua-green. How fuckin lucky is that? I'm really glad you're digging the way I write relationships in this. To be honest, I was pretty nervous going in because I've_ _ **never**_ _tried to write a story about a cohesive relationship before. Once I hit my stride though, I found it's pretty close to how I talk to close people in my everyday life._

 _About his semblance, FUCK YEAH! But it's gonna start off super subtle. We probably won't see anything too 'out of place' until the tournament starts. Plus, there are some new elements in play that might have a role in that being introduced this chapter._

 _Good eye on ya. I used Neo because nearly every oc story I've read either have them completely disconnected from the_ _ **real**_ _beginning of the show, or just throw them in with Ruby. I felt that Neo would be fucking fun to write anyway, so why not?_

 _And finally, shoutout to the ONLY READER THAT ANSWERED MY QUESTION!_ (That's your que, everyone else. _I wasn't joking, I wanna get to know everyone) For that, I fuckin love you dude. My favorite actually_ _ **is**_ _pepperjack, but I think mozzarella goes great with pasta. See ya next time_

 _Beowolfalien- Duh, it's more fun to write. Plus, I dunno about YOU, but I talk that way with my friends every day. Calling everyone a cheeky cunt isn't too unrealistic for me, kiddo._

 _Random Nerd Otaku- I'm a simple man. Tell me my jokes are funny and I'll think you're the beez kneez! Thanks for complimenting my sandwiches, homie!_

 _Over all, some pretty good, fun comments! I really enjoy responding to my readers and getting a feel for everyone's personality, so keep on typing at me._

 _Anyway, onwards into the mouth of the abyss!_

 **Chapter 5 µµµµµµµµµ Aqueducts of the Gods µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Xiao Long Residence µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Here I am, currently breaking a brand-new scroll on purpose.

Why, you may ask? Well, that's elementary dear Watson.

It's all about the tiny slip of paper that got snuck into my back pocket by Neo, whom apparently had the time to feel up my ass. I can't really use my _personal_ scroll. As cool as she is, she's still a criminal that works for someone else… for now.

My plans for WORLD DOMINATION grow!

Kidding!

… am I?

She could bug one of my most frequently used pieces of tech easily if I just used my own scroll, easily having a grasp on all my messages, accounts, and she'd probably even be able to hear my conversations (and my ever-growing list of one-liners) if she had even minor access to the mic in my scroll.

As you know, ya boi don't play that fucking game. Good thing the internet(extranet) exists, because I have no _goddamn idea_ what's going on inside the shell of this fucking thing. There're plasma compartments, something called 'Perma-Dust' and all kinds of other techno-remnant shit I don't understand. I'll just have to hope the internet didn't lie to me on this one. Trusting it makes sense, right?

When has the internet ever lied about anything?

…

I'm fucked, aren't I? Whatever, it was a valiant effort. If she hacks my new half broken scroll I'll just send her 64 gigabytes of anal porn or something.

Furrowing my eyebrows at that, I can't help but be intrigued by that thought. I go about screwing together my new piece of shit while thinking more… 'in-depth' about that idea. This extranet of theirs is a pretty _wild_ place!

'Honestly, it sounds pretty funny! I wonder what the reaction would be to that…' I gotta say, pretty much dying and jumping through a variety of 'fictional' worlds probably wasn't very good for my sanity. Have I changed in ways I don't even bother to notice anymore?

…

Duh. After all that shit who would possibly come out the other side completely unchanged? Actually… probably a lot of people would, but its fun being detached from the repercussions of social stigma.

Without any warning, just as I finished putting the scroll back together, something _wet_ and _foreign_ invades my poor virgin ear. Ech! EWWWWW!

" **Dude!** What. The. _FUCK!_ " I shout with nothing less than righteous fury, whipping around and launching my screwdriver at whatever was the cause of my current… discomfort. "Did you just give me a wet willy, you devious cunt?"

To no-one's surprise, it was Yang behind my vicious mauling. With a hand on her hip and the other currently wiping off her finger on her shorts, I can easily tell that she's hardly holding back the laughter. The shaking of her chest tells me all I need to know.

"Of _course_ not. What would even make you think that _I,_ of all people, would do that to you?" She asks me with a smirk, innocently putting her hands behind her back and fluttering her eyelashes at me.

" _Oh,_ I dunno. Maybe it's because you're the only person in here besides me." I answer with a blank look on my face. "Maybe it's because I pinched your side last night and made you drop your biscuits." This gets a half-hearted glare sent my way, meaning I cracked her shell. Point to me!

"Yeah, the only reason I didn't peel your muffin cap back is because you gave me yours. Dick. Payback sure is _wet and slimy,_ isn't it?" She says, chuckling like the tomboy I know so well. "Anyway, that's not even why I came up here. There's a package for you downstairs, so hurry up before I give it to Zwei as a chew toy." Why does that sound a lot like an Aqua and Kazuma kinda thing? I don't think I could be more averse to the thought of Yang being Aqua if I tried…

"Hush the fuck up, Yellow. I splurged and decided to buy a jacket. I even went and payed extra for an emblem and everything just so you and Ruby would shut up about it already." Ever the dramatic one, Yang gasps at the news as I walk around her and towards the stairs in the hallway.

"An emblem?! You finally got it through your thick head that your tattoos _don't_ count as an emblem?" She snarks at me, belying the fact that she's actually excited for this. Reaching the stairs, I continue our sass fest down into the kitchen.

"Don't you snark _me,_ young lady!" I reprimand, now doing my Tai-Mom impression, getting a snicker from the blonde not even a step behind me. "And here I even bought clothes so I could match with your little 'Huntress Costume' you have packed in that bag upstairs…" I tease her, peering out the corner of my eye as her face gains some color at the mention of the Hunter outfit.

"First of all, don't call it a costume! It's not something I'm gonna wear once and then forget about like some cheap holiday costume!" So you say… but the show would beg to differ. "And _second…_ did you really buy clothes just to match with me? That's kinda… sweet~." Oh fuck, I think my teasing somehow backfired on me to become endearing. Shit, abort!

"I don't care _what_ you call it Yang, all I know is the colors look good on you and that the stocking and garter-belt situation could knock out even the most flamboyant of men." Call me whatever you want, but I know when props are due… is it obvious I'm trying to get her to wear it more often? I hope not.

"Flattering _will_ get you places… but why do I get the feeling you want me to wear it?" Double shit! I didn't think I was that transparent… okay Sully it'll all be fine! All you have to do is hide the fact you think her-

"Do you think my poofy sleeves look stupid? Don't you dare lie to me, Sully…" Dear Monty Oum, can you make Yang stop it?! I don't know if I can lie straight to her face, and I can _feel_ the heat just **bubbling** underneath the surface of her voice. If there was ever a loaded question, this would be the one!

Goddamn it. Fuck _me_!

"Of _cooouuurse not_ , Yang! Why would you ever even think…. that…" I'm floundering here, please give me a way out… _please._ Were so close to the living room, just a few more feet and I can make a distraction!

"You _do_ know that I can choose between these sleeves being poofy and regular fitting sleeves… right?" Her surprisingly _not-mad_ voice asks me, honestly making me stop in my tracks which lets her bump into me. I turn around and quickly grab her by the shoulders, gaining her full attention.

"...really? You can just _do_ that?" It was a very simple question, but it's important to me so fuck right off. Blondie ends up rolling her eyes at me with a smile before answering.

"Duh, _grandpa_. There _is_ a zipper, after all." Holy fuck. I must do everything I possibly can to save this outfit. "Tell you what Big Guy, I'll start wearing the sleeves tight if you do something for me, deal?"

Crafty cunt, extorting me like this. Ya know what they say relationships are all about though, right? Compromise, compromise, and **more** compromise.

"I'll take the deal. What is it?" I might be jumping the gun here, but can you blame me?

"Start wearing shoes." She answers with a very serious inflection, steel in her voice.

"..."

"..."

"You're lucky I bought a ton of clothes besides the jacket. I probably wouldn't be able to get away with being barefoot in other parts of Vale anyway… the bottoms of my feet would turn black super-fast." Like I said, a crafty cunt of a girlfriend. I love her, dude. She's getting so much better at getting under my skin, it's _inspiring_!

This gets a loud snort from Yang as I turn around and continue through the hallway to the living room. Through the years I've learned that faking a Tsundere act will make her laugh no matter pretty much _any_ situation we're in. There's a lot more to this chick than puns, I gotta say.

Clearing the entrance to the family room, I notice an absolutely _massive_ box by the door. No doubt it's got all my new shit in it.

I'll be honest with ya, that fucking Lien card is getting a work out here lately. Only difference from the ice cream situation is that I thought ahead and bought a prepaid card with it so I could pay for the clothes with _that_ instead. If Glynda found me wearing _every_ piece of clothing that was 'suspiciously purchased' from the funds of their organization, I'm sure I'd be in some… _hot water_ , to put it lightly.

I'm a lot smarter than I look, guys! I fucking promise!

"Holy fuck, I don't remember buying _that_ much shit… this box is **huge**." I comment, kind of incredulous as I lift the box onto my shoulder. Turning around I see Yang, standing there with an expectant look on her face. In all honesty, it's pretty easy to guess what she's wanting. With a chuckle at the glint in her eyes I throw her a bone.

"Alright perv, go wait in your room and we'll have a fashion show. When I come in I expect those sleeves to be normal, yeah?"

"Fine, just for you though. It's not like I like you or anything… idiot." She says with a barely contained laugh, making me burst out with a sputtering laugh.

Seriously! I didn't expect her to do a fucking Tsundere impression, of all things! Maybe I'm rubbing off on her?

Have I mentioned that my emblem is just the Undertow octopus? It's pretty badass!

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Yang's POV µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

I can't believe he doesn't like my sleeves… I thought they were kinda neat, in _my_ opinion.

'At least I can use it to my advantage. Now he has no choice but to finally start wearing shoes! I count that as victory! All I gotta do now is remember Xiao Long it's been since he's worn anything on his feet… HAH!' Too bad only Dad and Sully can see my comedic genius. He _actually_ laughs at my jokes! If that's not the mark of a good guy I don't know what is!

Maybe I'm a bit egocentric when it comes to my jokes, but whatever. It's more the principle, isn't it?

…

Oum! Could he take any longer? I know he likes accessories and everything, but fu-

 ***SLAM***

"FEAST YOUR EYES, MORTAL! For I, Victor Goddamn Sullivan, have arrived!" Sully bellows, the loud thud obviously the fault of him slamming open my door.

Man, my boyfriend is just _full,_ of personality… isn't he? Better match him.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Pose for me, and make it steamy!" To my amusement he does exactly that immediately after my 'order'.

"The classic Higashikata, always at _least_ 6 points." He announces, left leg cocked forward and both hands busy framing his face, one open wide and the other held neatly at his jawline.

My boyfriend is… kinda weird, isn't he? Oh well, I _like_ it!

Looking him up and down I pick apart his fashion choices. I get the feeling this is his normal clothing choice, since they're pretty similar it is to his everyday clothes already. His bronze necklace and leather strip running through the seven bullets we removed from him are around his neck as they usually are. On his left arm he has his black bandanna tied around his bicep and his brass diver watch around his wrist, and on his right arm was only that wood and metal bracelet he never takes off. With a new pair of black jean shorts ending just below his knees, the similarities end there. Around his waist was a _very_ deep blue jean jacket with white stitching and brown leather cuffs, and on his feet were a pair of yellow Shimberland Chukkas.

"Hmmmm…" I vocalize, not quite done with my inspection just yet. "Turn for me, boy." He does just that, keeping the pose the entire time which makes me snort like the free soul I am. Beyond the rippling… _sexy_ back muscles I can see the emblem of an animated octopus in white on the back of the jacket. If I look closer, I can see the same emblem in black on the heels of the Chukkas, too.

All in all… not bad, hunk.

"Pretty tasty, right?" He asks, turning around again to face me with a smirk.

"Yeah, the jacket and shoes are pretty nice, Sully! Show me what else you got, but make it snappy." I love being demanding, just because it makes him call me a 'cheeky cunt'. The guy can't get enough of it!

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

UGGHH! This guy 'TailFail' is impossible to beat! If I ever see him in real life I'll wring his damn ne-

 ***SLAM***

"I'm bac- FUCK!" He shouts out, startled by the scroll flying at him. I may or may not have thrown my scroll _directly_ at his face when he burst in through my door… _again._

I'm lucky my beach bum has good reflexes, cause if not he wouldn't have been able to catch my scroll at all and I would've been down _sooo many contacts._

".…I'm getting a subtle hint that I shouldn't slam the fucking door next time." He says, tossing my scroll back to me.

"Probably a good idea. Hurry up and pose before I throw the lamp next." All he does is roll his eyes at my pushiness.

"They call this one the Caesar Zeppili!" He says before taking _another_ odd pose, flexing his muscles with fierce power. All of his accessories stayed put, but some new ones were added. Taking a long look, I can easily tell this is his 'answer' to my super awesome Huntress outfit.

On his left bicep his black bandanna was joined by a vibrant purple one, easily the same color as the one I wear in my Hunter Outfit. What a copy cat!

…even if it _is_ kinda romantic that we match…

Worn over his shoulders is a set of leather holsters almost identical to those worn by the stereotypical detective, only difference is _my_ sleuth is completely, deliciously bare-chested.

I can honestly say I hope he doesn't change that…. I remain unashamed!

Much to my shock, Sully is wearing an _actual_ pair of _pants._ Deep blue and rolled up to just below the knee, the rolls are held in place by two leather latches each, matching the lacquered, rough leather of his holsters to a tee. On his feet he wore a pair of Chukkas similar to the last, these instead being made of brown leather the same color as his pants latches and holsters with his emblem burned into the heels. Another thing, his hair isn't at its usual shoulder-length point right now, which means something _good_ for Mama!

"Turn for me, Darling~!" I say in a 'fancy' accent with a leisurely wave of my hand. Not even breaking pose he turns with a spin of his heel.

I can now easily see that around his waist is an acid wash jean jacket with the emblem in burnt black on the back, zipped up in such a way the body was an off-center triangle. The leather cuffs of the jacket matched the rest perfectly. And his hair… sweet fuck, his hair! Tied up into a short, extremely fluffy ponytail with a brown leather cord, it looks amazing!

I have to be honest about something… there's a reason I push for him to tie his hair up so often, a very dirty reason I'm not embarrassed of at _all._

To be blunt, it makes me feel like I wanna 'jump' him. Nearly every time I see it I want to say-

"Well? How is it? I think I did pretty well on this one, honestly." He says without warning, turning around to look me in the eyes.

"Hold me, daddy." I finish my thought verbally without thinking. A full five seconds pass by before either of us realize what I answered him with. My face feels hot as I immediately get a flashback to the first time we met. I watch a slight blush crawl across his face and can _see_ him trying to keep a smile off his face.

The fuck loves it when I embarrass myself… dick! Clearing his throat, he straightens up and why am I already _scared_ of how he's gonna answer that?

"You shall address me as Papa." He says with a full smile now on his face, eyes crinkled in amusement. Crossing his muscular arms he eagerly, and obviously, waits for my response.

You know, it's been years and I'm still not used to being on the receiving end of teasing on this level. He's a ballsy one, that's for _damn_ sure!

'Come on, Yang! Are you just gonna let him get away with that?!' I mentally yell at myself, starving for retaliation so I can get him back.

"Shut up…" Nice comeback, you really _showed_ him just now! Fuck me!

…

 _Actually_ … that gives me an idea.

"Hey Sully, I need you to do something for me real quick." I tell him, getting his attention and a look of slight confusion from him.

"Uhh, sure. What do you want?" Phase one is now under way! That's what Sully always says, right?

"Go downstairs and get the chocolate sauce!" I answer back loudly. Almost immediately the look of confusion intensifies on his face, coupled with a slight head tilt.

"You what?" He asks one more time.

"I want you. To go down stairs. And bring back. The chocolate. _Sauce._ " I say, slowly drawing out my annunciation. This is the epitome of subtlety, I know. Blinking at me with furrowed brows he gives his answer. Even with all the _fun_ I've had at his expense, he's still so dense.

Not for long, though!

"Uhhh… okay? I'll be right back Sunny." He announces in an unsure tone of voice. With a quick turn he was out the door and on his hunt, leaving me with just enough time. Even so, I should _really_ hurry my ass up!

I hop out of my chair with a pep in my step as I easily swing off my leather half jacket and send it flying into the corner, quickly followed by my leather pleated belt.

"Ruby's out with those two chuckle-nuts Russ and Gerico, Qrow is out on a mission, and Dad's in Vale right now." I say to myself in a whisper as I remove my infinity scarf and lay it on the desk. The clothes in the corner are swiftly joined by boots, socks, and gloves.

"That means now is the perfect time to mess with Sully… No one to hear him scream!" I whisper shout, laughing evilly at my latest prank idea.

I stand in front of my mirror, now only wearing my black mini shorts and yellow crop top. There's only one plunge left before I'm committed to this, no taksie backsies… should I really?

…

Fuck yeah!

With a smarmy grin I grip the bottom of my top and lift it over my head, where it then joins the other discarded clothing in the corner, releasing my 'womanly charms' onto this unprepared world. My pair of double D's bounce freely in the coolness of the room, sending a small shiver up the small of my back.

Usually I would make a joke about 'dem titties' to the mirror, but I don't have any time to waste. With a quick shimmy and a shake my shorts and _awesome_ orange panties fly over to the rest of the clothes in the corner, leaving me in my naked glory. I didn't even give myself the time for finger guns or kissy faces at myself before running behind the door in wait for my **killer** prank. Just in time, too, since I can hear some heavy footsteps coming down the hall.

A huge grin blossoms on my face, as he enters the room without noticing me.

"So why the fuck did you want the chocolate sau- Yang? Where ya at?" He asks while walking into the middle of the room, just according to plan. With as little noise as possible I close the door and lock it with a click, making him turn around due to the sound.

"Sunny? Wha-GUH!" As his wide eyes finally process me, his question gets cut off by a painful choking sound, which makes me chuckle as I saunter myself towards him.

"What's the matter, beach bum? Oh good! You brought the chocolate~!" I say, rounding on him as soon as I reach him. I can see a white-knuckle grip on that bottle he has, which almost makes me laugh again. I busy myself by resting a hand on my hip, trailing it slowly upwards as I walk closer.

"I- eh- deh…? Holy fuck…" Sully stutters under his breath, jaw nearly on the floor. I caress _every_ curve as sensually as possible.

'Apparently, just show him some kitty and he'll quiet right the fuck down. I think I'll file that info away for later… Ya girl just got herself a 'secret weapon', HOORAH!' I think, extremely pleased with myself right now even through the intense burning blush I'm sure is on my face. I keep trailing upwards until I reach my left breast, smoothly trailing the underside with a ghostly light finger, then immediately tease myself with a good grope. I let out a tiny moan, unashamed by the rubbing my thighs are doing all on their own.

Lifting my other hand I trace the curve of his abs lightly, my other hand going just a _bit_ lower. A well-placed tug is all it takes to send the jacket around his waist falling to the floor. I keep up my plan of attack by swiftly unbuttoning his jeans, unzipping the fly soon after. A devious idea in my mind, I push him back with a good amount of force onto my bed where he lands with a loud landing that nearly shakes the room, stock still. The next part of the plan is officially in action, bitch!

On the other hand, do you _know_ how hard it is to be sexy when you're crawling over your partner? These big _fuckin' titties_ get in the way, ya know!

'Still, I think I pulled it off flawlessly…' I confidently think to myself, now sitting on Sully's deliciously hard abs, literally _everything_ brushing up against him as I trace circles on the bullet scar to the side of his heart. Carefully, _sensually_ leaning in onto his mountainous pecs, I prepare the final blow.

"You just got pranked, boi." I moan huskily in his ear. I don't stop what I'm doing though, because…. I don't want to? I don't have to explain myself to you.

After a full 20 seconds of jaw-dropped wonder, a look of emptiness comes across his face. If I'm honest, it's pretty unsettling to see from such an animated guy like my boyfriend…

"You what?" He asks, incredulous despite his award-winning poker face.

"I-I just pranked you…?" I say once more, now _distinctly_ less sure that this was a good idea… Think I scarred him forever and he'll no longer be able to live with a healthy relationship in his life?

In response, he lifts the bottle of chocolate sauce into view, which I actually kinda forgot about, and pops the cap. MENACINGLY. I tear my gaze off the somehow intimidating bottle of chocolate goodness and glance at Sully's face, now bearing a shit-eating grin to match the one already on my face.

"Nah, it's _totally_ about to be a chocolate slip n' slide in this bitch." He announces with _so much_ confidence that I lose control of my laughter for just a second, more than enough time to snort loudly at him, which ends up hurting my prank more than helping if the way his smile grew means anything! With one hand rubbing my thigh, I feel him kick off his shoes with sheer _slickness_ I didn't know he had. He sets the chocolate down to reach for something which better be his pockets, or else we're about to move faster than I ever fucking _thought of!_

I mean, even if it _is '_ _ **that**_ _',_ I probably wouldn't say no. I'll definitely punch him in the mouth for going there fresh out the gate, but a punch isn't a no. He'll be _fiiiiiine._ Maybe.

After realizing that he got what he was reaching for, I think I actually released a breath I didn't know I was holding. I can feel him kicking off his pants, and if I'm honest I'm feeling a lot more nervous knowing he only has one more layer left before that-

 ***SLAP***

A foreboding, _meaty_ sound echoes throughout the now very silent room. The matching _impact against my_ _ **ass**_ , pretty much clears my mind for a good five seconds.

…

"You're fucking kidding me, right?" Bitch, there's no _goddamn_ way what just smacked my ass is his cock. Whatever it is, it's in _just_ the right place right now… that shot of pleasure slamming up my spine from the constant _throbbing_ can't be argued with.

"I mean…no? I don't really like to talk about it." Bashful? About the damn tree trunk that just smacked my ass?

I'm not sure, but I think my eye just twitched. Just a little bit.

"Were you planning on loving me or murdering me with that crotch rocket of yours?" I ask him, still processing what's about to go down. My gaze quickly goes to the heavens in a sort of silent prayer that I'll still be able to make it to the airship tomorrow.

I'm honestly asking myself if the airship is gonna be wheelchair accessible. I'm not joking, stop laughing!

"Well, you're tough! I'm sure if anyone can take it, it's you. Isnph thbt lk yoar sembanph er somphing?" Excuse me, what the fuck language was that again?

I turn my gaze back to Sully to see him drinking from the bottle of chocolate and holding up a… flavored condom.

What.

"I have things to say. First off, fucking share!" I shout, yanking the bottle of syrup away from him and cradling it against myself… I like chocolate, so bite me. "Second… is that an orange flavored condom?" I ask, incredulous at his weird choice. A _flavored. Condom._

"Is it? I just bought a pack of neon colors because I thought it would be funny instead of boring regular ones." He says with a goofy smile, like he didn't just say he bought condoms because it was funny.

"Fair enough, you just better be prepared to take responsibility tomorrow!" I exclaim at him after a deep sigh, now pressing myself entirely against his chest.

"That's what the condom is for, though. Right?" He's about to fuck me into paralysis and he's still clueless? Dude.

"Yeah, but I'm talking about carrying me to Beacon. You think I'll be able to walk after taking you on? I'm not a _superhero_!" I 'complain' to him. Knowing him, he'll actually end up holding me bridal style the entire ride there!

Wouldn't mind it, actually.

To my surprise, he actually starts to laugh at my dramatics!

"I swear, the fucking balls on you to laugh at something like that… pffffhahaha!"

That's right, the dick puns are back, BABY!

"Let's do this before I lose my nerve already, hurry up!" Despite my words, I'm pretty sure I have a smile on my face… I'm not a good liar.

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Northern Shoreline of Patch - Sully's Beach µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Looking around here, I can't help but be proud of what I've created. Those 'construction supplies' were bought for a reason, after all. My little beach shack isn't much of a shack anymore… more of a cabin, honestly. A tiled roof and actual walls encompass the original, all the fishing supplies a man could ever need and even a fucking _bed._

I'm ballin, boys.

I even managed to build my own wooden dock! Made out of wooden posts and foam to help it float, I'm pretty proud of it. But that's not why I'm here before the sun comes up on the day of my airship ride to Beacon.

I'm usually not the type to be visiting graves just for any reason… or at all… but today feels important for some reason. I can't really describe it. Almost like a tingling in the back of my mind.

I don't think it has anything to do with how Yang just rocked my fucking socks off yesterday, but you can never _really_ tell…

"So here I am, bastards. Kneeling in front of your fake graves without a clue. Today I'm going to a castle built to train children to kill dangerous animals lead by a mysterious cheese loving old man. That's right, I finally got my letter from Hogwarts." I try to joke, but it just feels… hollow…

Maybe I should actually be serious this time? Sasha always used to tell me that.

"I'm excited. I have a family here, Joe. People that care about me, and never want to leave me in the dust." I say to the grave. "But… I can't help but wish you were here. Even… even… Sasha. I hate to admit it, but I wish you were here too. You would have loved this beach…" I'm feeling uncomfortable right now… I hate talking to people I used to know like they're dead… it fucks with my mind.

Casting a quick look at my watch, I decide I need to get back to the house before everyone wakes up. Rising to my feet, I begin my trek back to the tree line. But I stop half way there. Looking back, I can't help but utter that thing that always made the two feel better.

Maybe it might even make me feel less disturbed about all this.

"I- don't worry… I think I… might have a plan, for all of this." I say, somehow sounding sure of myself, even with how much of a lie that really is.

Surprisingly… it kinda worked. I think I feel just a slight bit better.

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Vale Air Docks - On Board µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

She _actually_ had me carry her ass on board. Through Patch, the entire time on the Ferry, through Vale to the air docks, and onto the airship. I carried the luggage too, dude.

Ruby and I are hanging out in the airship waiting for it to start its ascent. _Yang,_ is sitting on my shoulders, like a damn queen on a throne or something. Jackass!

I'm about to pull a bucking bronco when out of the corner of my eyes I spot a certain blonde boi looking like he's about to have a heart attack. More or less laying on one of the teal benches, he actually looks _miserable_ to be on the airship. Good thing the _GOD OF THE FUCKING OCEAN_ brought a little something. I end up taking Yang along with me as I walk towards his prone form, a mission in my mind.

"Uhhh, where are we going, home slice?" Asks Yang in a tired voice, resting her head on top of her crossed arms _on top_ of my head for 'balance', as she calls it.

Personally, I think she just likes playing with my hair.

"I bought motion sickness pills in case anyone needed them, remember?" I tell her, taking a small bottle out of my pocket and shaking them for her to see.

"Yeah I remember. _And?_ " The cheeky cunt asks.

"This guy looks like he could really use some, Yellow. Open your eyes a little, why don't ya." I snark back at the girl on my shoulders. Turning my gaze back to Jaune, he looks even worse than before, he's even clutching his stomach already.

"Hey, White Knight. You feeling alright?" I ask him directly, which finally gets his attention on us.

"Urphgh. N-not really…" Not too talkative, huh? Or too receptive to a giant with a fully-grown woman riding on his shoulders, apparently.

"Well, take this shit homie. Might make you feel better." I tell him, setting the bottle on top of him and turning to walk back to where we left Ruby. I think I can see her having a _heart attack_ now that she realizes we're gone.

"Th-thank you…" I hear him try to say weakly from behind me, followed by some rattling from the bottle I left with him. You'd really think that he'd _have_ some medicine for that _with_ him, but I guess fucking not.

But that's none of my business, boys. My business, at the moment, is toting this pinchable ass on over to her sister. As we clear the crowd of forgettable faces, I see Ruby hugging Crescent Rose with shaky knees, looking around most likely for us. I swear to fuck she looks _just_ like an abandoned puppy!

…

You know, I kinda forgot how nervous she can get.

 ****THE SHIP WILL BE DEPARTING SHORTLY. GET COMFORTABLE AND ENJOY YOUR RIDE TO BEACON ACADEMY.**** Announces the captain over the intercom, which was accompanied by a slight jolt, meaning we're finally on our way.

Hopefully, and I mean _hopefully,_ things go well. I know I'll pass the test or whatever, but I'm more talking about teams. I have no idea how those are gonna be arranged, and if I'm honest… that scares me. A lot.

I can't make a plan for it. I guess the best way to treat that situation would be to act like I'm living in a world that I don't know what's gonna happen.

Right?

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Unknown Area µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Play The Evil Within - Clair de Lune**

This place feels weird… unsettling would be a good word to start with.

It feels like I've been here for a _long time._ Months. Maybe even years. Pianos and violins have been playing in my ears for the **entire** time _._ The same song, over. And over. And over. _And over._

The worst part is, I've heard it before. I know exactly what it's from, and it couldn't freak me out more. It's enough to make me wanna rip my goddamn ears off.

But I can't move. I can't breath. I'm just… stuck here, looking at myself in this mirror.

A massive wall of a reflection stands before me, and with it I can see myself, and the absolute _nothing_ all around me. Nothing but smoky blackness, and _abyss,_ lay behind me. You know what they say about staring into the abyss, so instead I've been doing my best to stare at myself.

Thing is, the abyss is still staring back.

I can do nothing but watch in muted horror as the man in the mirror _melts_ into a milky white puddle of remains. Starting from the crown of my head, I get to watch myself fall apart like a wax candle. Fingers and hair fall off, plopping onto the ground with a sickening smack, quickly losing shape and liquefying all together. Then, larger parts began degenerating. A forearm here, a nose there, then an entire fucking arm. I can't see anything but gross, marshmellowy goop inside my doppelganger. Almost as if he senses my disgust, the cheeky bitch flashes a mega-watt smile my way. Something tells me that we haven't even _reached_ the bad part yet.

Fuck.

As I look at my now arm-less reflection, smile still proudly on its face, things begin escalating even further. As its eyes begin melting out of their sockets, a loud **crunch** echoes in my ears, not at all drowned out by the eternal music. It takes me a minute to see what changed, and I honestly can say I wish I didn't. A large crack, running down the center of that _thing_ in the mirror. It slowly expands up the face, leaving nothing but destruction behind. The spiderweb of cracks flower outwards, from the main one running down the center they gradually grow to cover the entire body like charred bark. Without any warning, the shell of the mannequin before me flakes off at once like a cocoon, revealing nothing more than the white sludge I've already seen inside. It quickly melts into the large pool at its now non-existent feet. Leaving no trace.

There's something _moving_ in the fucking puddle. Snaking through the liquid like a pool, _just_ far enough beneath to conceal the horrors writhing within.

I can't even shout, I can't even _breath…._ but I can count at least two different… _things,_ masses _…_ moving beneath the surface.

Fingers. The frantic movements cease as two goddamn hands breach the edge of the pool, gripping and _pulling_ the rest of itself up.

In stark comparison to the puddle of impossibility, the skin of whatever the hell this thing is was black, even darker than tar. That in itself isn't exactly scary, but as it raises onto its two feet, standing at attention and…. I _think_ looking at me, I can't help but feel supremely insignificant. Like a terrier sitting in front of the wolf Sif.

It had no face. Nothing! Just a blank slab of meat where a face should be. Only an intense glowing light in the middle of his being… like some sort of …

It couldn't be.

There's no way!

I... refuse to believe it.

But the voice coming from the faceless freak show couldn't be denied. Like a million voices talking at once, I instantly knew that were this real, my brain would've imploded trying to comprehend the being before me. Also instant is the knowledge that whatever this is… I probably shouldn't fuck with it too much. Ya know, unless I like having my intestines turn into snakes and attack me from the inside.

But let's be honest, I doubt I'll be able to help myself.

" **You.** " The charcoal being states in a surprisingly earthly voice. I can't help but compare this voice to a father, if that makes sense. Caring, strong-willed, yet with an undertone I can't quite decipher… royalty, maybe? With his utterance, his center glows an unbelievably intense white, making me squint in response.

It only takes me a moment to realize I can move once again.

"M-me?" I ask it in an uncharacteristically meek tone. The sheer fear I felt before has since abandoned me, instead being replaced with a sense of unease. This voice… is it calming me down?

" **Yes, you.** ** _Another_** **who follows mine and my brother's trails? After the last one… such a lovable fellow, that one. A true heart of gold, as the children say.** " It says, adopting a thinking position with one arm braced across its chest and the other gripping its chin. Confusion easily surpasses my intimidation, and curiosity is catching up fast.

"Trails? Another person…?" All this information, and so fast… I don't know if I _want_ to understand…

" **And for one from the Origin to achieve such a feat… well it's nearly unheard of! The gods there don't particularly like their mortals…** ** _too_** **powerful, to be honest. Something about instability through the generations. Or was it a 'Vengeful Nature'?** " _He_ said. That voice doesn't really leave much doubt anymore. The apparent 'God' before me shifts its weight in thought, before adopting a shrugging gesture. " **It doesn't matter anymore, really. The trails there have been closed for business, so to say. And** ** _we_** **got** ** _you_** **in the custody battle. Isn't that grand?** " He says with obvious delight. I get the feeling this 'god' doesn't get out too much.

"Origin… gods? Listen you damn fossil, you're breaking through walls of logic that shouldn't even be _touched,_ and you're not slowing down either. Speak sense!" I shout, officially pissed off by the gall of this fever dream. There's _also_ the slightest chance that this might be real… fuck. " _Senju, Senju…"_ I whisper out under my breath. I can't quite remember where it comes from… but I feel like it fits together somehow. Something about blinding orange?

" **Would if I could, but I can't so I won't. I only have so long here, so I can only tell you so much. This isn't going to be quite like you've seen. Not just because you're here, either.** " How does it know that? Never mind, easily a stupid ass question. " **Surprisingly enough, even my brother is rooting for you. This marks the second time in our collective history that we've ever collaborated on anything. Since the 'Awakening', at least.** " He seems quite pleased by that information, I can guess he's proud that they're getting along once again. How… human.

Cool.

"Anything else, O Lord?" Tease a god? Check it off the bucket list. Luckily for me, he takes it in good stride with nothing more than a shake of the head.

" **Actually, yes. Don't lose yourself. I'd hate to see a man with such a strong soul… such a strong** ** _character…_** **lose himself within the deaths of his enemies. Or his friends.** " He says in the most serious tone since I've been here. He feels really strongly about this, obviously, which catches my interest. He lifts his arm with a lazy motion, looking almost as if to brace himself.

" **It is time for you to continue, bearer. Go forth, unto this world of mine, and inspire. My brother and I will seek you in the future.** "

You got it, All Might. I'll be sure to do that.

With barely any amount of effort, he snaps his fingers without a sound. Yet. There wasn't a sound _yet._ There was so much fucking power behind that action that the sound wave was delayed. Thunder echoes across the emptiness around me, shaking the ground beneath my feet and rattling my very bones, also cracking the massive wall of reflection in front of me. The smug, cheeky ass god on the other side waves at me before the spiderweb cracks shatter the mirror in its entirety, crashing to the ground like a wave and the mile-high mirror explodes out in waves of broken glass. Just as I'm inches away from being overtaken by the tide, my vision goes white.

…

'Does this make me a fucking Jehovah's Witness? Goddamn it.'

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Airship / The Teal Wonder - Beacon Docks µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

*SMACK*

…

Excuse me Martha, I think my wife is calling me.

"Hey."

*SMACK*

"Wake up." An oddly bored sounding voice orders me. Not quite monotone, but still uncomfortably flat. I'm almost positive this mother fucker is about to hit me agai-

*SMACK*

…

I called that shit, boys. Quickly throwing my arm up in preparation for another hit, I succeed in catching someone's wrist. Cracking open an eye at my new alarm clock, I find my vision obscured by a… a book?

"Kakashi, is that you?" I ask jokingly, lifting the wrist in my grasp to get a look at my new friend. Yellow eyes greet me, coupled with long black hair and a monochrome color scheme. Some very _tight_ monochrome at that, and even with an exposed tummy.

To absolutely no one's surprise, it's Blake.

Also to absolutely no one's surprise, I have another moment of mental fuckery.

Should I:

1- Keep calling her Kakashi as a meme?

2- Use her now captive wrist to pull her into a _deep_ hug?

Or

3- Secure a teammate by momentarily becoming All Might?

Some pretty good choices, but I like to make my own path. I'm a rebel, remember? I'm Victor Goddamn Sullivan, the lien stealing, reality hopping, water toting son of a bitch!

Instead, I'll naturally choose all three, duh. At least _try_ and keep up with me, for fucks sake!

"Not Kakashi." I take a moment to look around the airship. There aren't many reasons why _Blake_ of all people would interact with a complete stranger unless she felt obligated to. But then again, this is the real world now. Any one of these fuckers can be different and I won't be any the wiser. My short gaze showed me that the ship was almost abandoned, nothing but a handful of stragglers are here, including us two. Turning back to her, I decide to just give her exactly what I gathered. Maybe being frank will work in my favor with someone like Blake? "I'm guessing we landed then. _And_ you're the only one who took the time to wake me up." My statement gets her a little shifty eyed, which catches my interest just because of how out of place it is. Could she have something juicy to hide?! Eventually she catches my eyes again and gives me her answer, shifting her weight and cocking her hips to the side.

"Right. I'd end up feeling bad if I left without waking you up…" The way she says that brings a smile to my face. I've always had a soft spot for nice people, and Blake is making an awesome impression on me so far. Getting to my feet, I end up towering over her like most people these days. At the 'revelation' of my height, Blake's eyes widen considerably. If she wasn't as stoic of a person, I'd say her jaw would easily be on the floor right now.

"Whatever the case, thanks for that homegirl. I was havin' a pretty _shit_ nightmare too, so I owe you one." Still with her wrist in mine, I bring her in for a hug. I can't go all out because I might crush her, but to put it lightly I squeeze her like a fucking teddy bear. "You're now my newest best friend! Name's Sully, by the way."

"Mph nmphs Blaph. Lem ph gepf." Ahhh the sound of friendship. And suffocation. I probably shouldn't mention it, but I can also feel her ' _bow'_ wildly scratching against the bottom of my jaw as I squish her.

I'm pretty proud if _that's_ my new record for getting someone to panic after meeting me! Have I mentioned how forward I am when I meet new people? I could have sworn I have…

"You got it, Blaph. Now let's get the fuck out of here and check out the school!" I say as I let her go, revealing a now cross-eyed ravenette. Putting a hand on my hip and cocking my thumb at the exit, I wait for her to regain her grounding.

Yeh, these thicc ass fucking _manly_ hugs have a tendency to disorient people. Or maybe it was the fact I hugged her within a _minute_ of knowing her? It's food for thought, but it's just too bad I don't give a shit.

"Best friend? You move too fast." She states with an oddly shaky voice, now narrowing her newly focused eyes at me in mock annoyance. There's always a reason behind my madness, young one. For instance, it's better for you to have a friend that's _just_ pushy enough so you can't marinate in your own sadness and brooding.

"I may move fast, but it ends up working out for me every _single_ time! Now let's go, we're wasting daylight." I tell her with a grin and an exaggerated wink, gesturing for her to walk with me as I start my way towards the exit. Somehow convincing the most anti-social woman to walk with me with barely any effort, I feel, is one of the most flattering accomplishments I've made since coming here. Well, besides my fucking **girlfriend** , but she left me asleep on the damn airship so she's on the shit-list right now. While I'm lost in my head again, Blake begins reading the book she was hitting me with for nearly half a minute before choosing to respond to me, only offering a quick flick of those golden eyes towards me as she does.

"Fine. My name is Blake, not Blaph."

Hook. Line. And sinker. Have I mentioned my charisma lately? Perhaps Lady Luck herself is behind this…

With the thought of an offering to the god of Casinos everywhere now weighing on my mind, my black and white companion and I continue on our way to the landing pad, eager to see this _castle_ of a fucking school in person.

Gotta say, as I walk out onto the stone path, I'm not disappointed. Not one bit.

What greets me is an absolutely massive stone plaza, decorated with towering pillars, a _statue_ for a centerpiece and six square water pools. Even just that is absolutely beautiful, but then we get to the matter of the _actual_ school. Covered head to toe in awesome glass windows and white stone spires, I can easily say the show didn't do it any justice. I can't help but verbalize my thoughts.

"Take a look at all of that!" I say excitedly to Blake with a sweeping motion towards the layout before us, tearing her eyes away from her book momentarily she takes in the sight.

"The school? It's pretty I guess." She says with blasé clear in her tone.

"Wrong." I answer back simply, catching her attention abruptly. "That might be part of it, but that's not what I'm talking about." I shake my head at her simplicity as we continue our walk. I thought for _sure_ that if anyone would look underneath the underneath of our school, it would be the porn-reading cat-girl of a Kakashi walking next to me. I guess we all have our flaws.

Except for me, of course. I'm just awesome.

"Hn?" Hn indeed, my friend.

"That isn't just a school, sitting in front of us. That's a symbol. One that people of _all_ backgrounds stand behind, _together_ for a change. A symbol that will birth not warriors, not heathens, not soldiers, either. Something else entirely." My little gushing speech seems to have caught the attention of my companion, just like I planned. The book in her hand now entirely forgotten in favor of yours truly, she asks me a very simple question.

"If not any of those, then what?"

"Heroes. People, brothers and sisters in arms that would put their _lives_ on the line to save friends. Save family. Even save complete _strangers_. The people here are the future…. the **hope** of Remnant as a whole." I quickly run my hand through my locks and shoot a smile towards Blake as we continue walking, attempting to alleviate the absolute _bomb_ of reality I just dropped on this poor girl.

"At least, that's what I think. Pretty heavy shit in this melon of mine, huh?"

"That's not really a bad thing…" She mutters barely above a whisper, a nearly unnoticeable touch of color to her cheeks. Let's fuck with her.

"WHAT? Speak up, I can't hear you homegirl." I bellow, leaning in close to her face like some kinda 'delinquent'. We continue walking towards the meeting hall as I do this, Blake following next to me.

"Guh- I said 'Sure is, homeboy'." She announces confidently to me, obviously startled into giving a quick answer. Realization strikes as her eyes to shoot open in embarrassment, almost like a terrible secret had been revealed!

Nice.

I stop abruptly mid-step, causing her to bump shoulders with me. She looks to me in curiosity, the evidence of her embarrassment still shining with a rose color on her cheeks. I find my own hands cupping my face, adorned with a wide toothy smile and, without a doubt, stars in my eyes. Get ready for it.

"Homeboy? You said it back? You said it _back_?! Oh my God!" I shout excitedly as I launch myself towards her. Startled, all she can do is take a step back before she's caught for the second time today.

Glomped once more by the master!

I believe that hugs are a healthy way to show affection.

"MMMPH!" Comes the voice from my chest.

Everyone likes hugs.

The 'bow' on top of my new best friend's head practically tries to beat me in the face with how much they're twitching. Not wanting to actually piss her off, I take her by the shoulders and release her from my bear hug. I get face to face with her, still excited.

"I can't believe you called me your homeboy! I think I fucking love you, dude!" I say to her, pumped up beyond reason. Even though she looks flustered by my intense affection, all I get in return is a slight eye twitch along with that blush.

"Quit embarrassing me in public, 'Homeboy'." I'm so enamored by my new best friend that I don't see the book rocketing towards my poor skull.

You should probably know, I'm a master of burying turmoil _deep_ inside. Just what kind of insane bastard has dreams of _gods,_ and can immediately pretend he didn't see what he _knows_ he saw?

One with a good distraction, that's who.

*SMACK*

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

As Blake and I clear the massive doorway to the area, the wild me hunts for his prey. To put it in a simpler fashion, I'm looking for the cunts that decided to leave me on the fucking airship. Alone.

They require punishment!

On a tamer note, I can only wonder what exactly happened. When Blake and I left the airship there was _no_ sign of Ruby or a certain leggy popsicle anywhere. Hopefully someone came to Ruby's rescue since Blake was busy with me, I know _I'd_ hate to be stuck being yelled at by that fucking powdered donut. She's LOUD!

While I'm busy surveying the room for anything offensively yellow, red, or white, Blake is busying herself with reading that book of hers. I swear to fuck her eyes haven't left the pages since we got here. A miracle that she doesn't run into people on a regular basis, since sh-

'Yellow spotted. Target 'Yang Xiao Long' has been found among additional target, 'Ruby Rose'. Target seems unaware of our presence. Moving in to apprehend.' Beeps my command code (brain), forcing my body to comply. Before I get my much-deserved answers, I quickly get Blake's attention through a light tap to her arm.

"I'm pretty sure I see the two that abandoned me on the ship earlier. Wanna come and watch the show?" I ask her with an easy-going grin. Her eyes look longingly at the book in her hands for just a moment before going back to me, a blank look on her face.

"Ew, gross. Why would I want to do _that_?" She asks rudely, looking at me like an idiot.

…

"You know, I'm not gonna lie. That actually hurt a-" Even before I give my heartfelt complaint, her hand quickly shoots up to her mouth to cover what I'm sure is a goddamn smile. Cheeky kitty, can't even bother to hide the light laughter at the _sheer offence_ that I'm sure was on my face.

"Such a dick! Just for that, you get to be a part of my plan…" I trail off sinisterly, already starting to sneak my way over to the sister duo as Blake suddenly wears a mask of worry. Now that I think about it, the people here haven't gotten used to how often I say I have a plan… that could get annoying to explain after a while.

But that's a problem for future me! Present me says _fuck_ it!

Nearing closer to my destination with Blake at my side is made pretty easy since Yang and Ruby _both_ have their gazes on the stage. All _we_ really have to do is come up behind them. Quickly meeting Blake's gaze, I tell her only one foreboding thing.

"Make sure your hands are free…" I tell her, MENACINGLY.

Turning my attention back to my big blonde target, I decide on my plan of action. Now all I have to do is wait for the perfect, most vulnerable moment…

Just wait…

 _Just_ waaaaaiiiiit…

 **Just wai** -

'NOW!' I shout in my mind, immediately moving right up to my target in a crouched rush, just so I'll be at the right height. Yang had been so unfortunate as to decide to stretch while I was waiting, lifting her arms just enough for my plan to come into effect. Ignoring Blake's surprise at my sudden movement, I throw my arms underneath Yang's. Bending my arms at the elbows, I trail my hands backwards to the nape of her neck and clasp my fingers together strongly. This leaves my beautiful blonde girlfriend's arms trapped within my own, left dangling to the sides uselessly. Drowning out her shouts of surprise and immediate indignation, I straighten my legs out and stand at my full height with Punny and Yellow still locked tight, effectively leaving her kicking at the nothing and hopelessly suspended in the air. She's completely at my mercy now.

Shooting a quick glance at the accomplice of the traitor, I see she's broken out in a cold sweat, obviously worried about what'll happen to poor, poor Yang. As she should be.

"Let me go, you jerk!" She shouts at me, her statement making me give a mirthful laugh in return. Turning towards Blake easily with her still in my grip, I give her a well-reasoned retort.

"Oh, who left _who_ sleeping on the ship?" I ask facetiously, not willing to give her even a _moment_ to retort. "Shut up!"

"Blake, now is the time! PINCH HER SIDES!" I shout childishly, getting a fit of giggles from Ruby and a round of muffled laughter from the surrounding strangers. I'm pretty sure my display is effectively destroying any tension that people felt by being here. My plan obviously didn't go over well with _everyone_ however, as I feel the captive in my arms stiffen up in panic.

"NOOO!" That's right! Scream for me, Blondie! The day of reckoning has arrived!

"Me?! But I-" Blake asks, obviously surprised by such a sudden request. Should I re-enforce the order, soldier?

"DO IT NOW!" I shout, finally breaking through to the Belladonna and forcing her into action.

"FINE!" She shouts back with a frustrated stomp of her foot. Now at the side of _our_ victim, she reels back her hand, which confuses me greatly. Is she planning on hitting her?! I didn't think I pushed her that hard! Fu-

*SMACK*

"EEEAH!"

…

I'm shook.

Instead of nipping at Yang's sides like I'd asked, Blake ended up reeling back her hand and sent it careening directly onto Yang's exposed tummy. What the fuck?

A deafening silence follows. I watch Blake with a blank expression as she crosses her arms in obvious embarrassment if the intense blush on her face is any indicator. After Yang's squeal of surprise, she ended up going still in my arms. I'm sure she's just as embarrassed as Blake right now, if not even more so. I should probably try to fix this… _whatever_ this is now.

"Uhm… good innovation there, homegirl. Thinking 'outside the box' and stuff." I'm trying my best to make this less fucking awkward, but this isn't your average, everyday awkward.

This is advanced.

"Thanks Sully… she was wide open…" She says back, barely audible over the chatter of the other potential students around us. It seems they ended up losing interest a bit ago. Blake's rubbing a hand up and down her opposite arm, really making me feel kinda bad. I _really_ pushed her out of her comfort zone just now, didn't I?

…

She'll get used to it.

"So… do you apologize yet, Bombshell?" I ask Yang, somewhat eager to get off the topic of 'Blake the Belly Slapper'. Yang cocks her head back towards me as I address her, sending her curtain of hair moving in time.

"Will you let me go if I say yes?" She inquires, an obvious amount of hope hidden in her voice.

"Hmmmm… sure. I think I fucked with you enough for now." I answer, letting a grin slip onto my features. Teasing can only go so far before you end up getting kicked in the dick, as a wise man once said.

"Alright, then I'm sorry for leaving you on the airship. Ruby said she was gonna wake you up when we were on the docks, but she said something about getting distracted." This requires further investigation…. not because I'm a nosy fucking cunt or anything, but because I need it for the scrap book.

Wait.

"Quick Blake! Take a picture of us!" I say hurriedly, I need this fucking picture! First day at Beacon academy is an important one, dudes.

"Kay." She responds remotely, already snapping a photo of me with Yang still in the headlock. Seems like she's retreated back into her shell after the… 'incident' that we shall not discuss. I'll have to work her back out eventually, because the real Blake is much more fun than her shell is!

Done with my scrap book shit for now, I finally let Yang out of the lock and let her fall to her feet. I back up just a bit to give her some room to shake out her hair, and once she does, she turns towards me to-

"Fuck!" Punch me in the stomach, right where she got spanked by Blake, making me bend over and hold my belly more in surprise than actual pain... "I love you too, Honey…" My wife is abusive. Help me.

"So who's your new girlfriend, ya bum?" Asks Yang, now moving in to inspect Blake like a piece of produce.

'Time to become a car salesman. My chance is now!' I shout excitedly in my head, now upright from my hunched over position I take the opportunity to sidle over beside Blake, easily wrapping an arm around her and using the other to gesture up and down at her like a top-quality product.

" _This,_ Yang, is Blake. She's the one that ended up waking me up from my nightmare out of the kindness of her heart! She's fully insured under the 'Best Friend' package, and comes fully equipped with a pretty face and some seriously cute, spooky yellow eyes." The arm I have around her gets smacked off at this point, which I kinda expected to happen sooner, honestly.

" _Excuse_ me?" An obnoxious, feminine voice says to the right of our little group. I'm suddenly aware of the ever-tiny Ruby taking refuge behind me, meaning this dweeb can only be one person.

But I'm busy at the moment, so call again later snow cone.

"I see… those are some pretty good points, there. I guess I have no choice but to _approve_ of your bestie." Yang says with the utmost confidence after having examined the now mildly uncomfortable Blake, given how her eyes flick to me as if asking for help. The blonde has her hands on her hips and a challenging smile on her face as she looks at homegirl, prompting me to step in to prevent Blake receding into her shell even further.

" _Hello?!"_ The wild snow ball seems to be getting agitated. Shut the fuck up, snow ball.

"So what, if she wasn't up to your standards you'd veto my friendship with her? What are you, my Grandma?"

"Shut up, dick! I refuse to let you hang out with any losers because that would make me look bad." Yang 'explains', obviously being snobbish on purpose for the sake of the joke. " _She's_ fucking sexy anyways, so it's fine." What kind of backwards ass logic is that, Yang? Sometimes I don't get you… but I don't disagree. Yang _is_ right.

"Thanks..." Oh poor Blake! She's got her head and shoulders slumped over in resignation, and the way she _said_ that kinda makes me feel sorry for her. Therefore, it's fucking hilarious.

" **ARE YOU ALL DEAF OR SOMETHING?!** " Time to address the princess in the room, huh? As a group, we all turn towards the red-faced heiress and with a quick glance at each other, we decide to collectively make her feel like an asshole.

Batter up!

"You know there are deaf hunters, right? There might even be one in this room, you jerk! Not cool…" Yours truly makes a pretty good case, right? Haven't you heard of the legendary Huntress Quiet? She's an ultra-badass… and I may or may not want her autograph tattooed on me.

…

Don't you fucking judge me.

"Yeah, it's not okay to make fun of people with disabilities, dirtbag. That's messed up!" A supporting clause from the Blonde and the Bold! At the one-two combo insult from 'Signal's Star Couple', the princess with a famous set of lungs had no choice but to fall back a step with a _major_ scowl on her face. Too bad she's such a cunt in the first season, or I might not have to do this to her. But as the motto goes for _every_ Drill Sergeant in the world, we gotta break em' down and build em' up again! Finish her off, homegirl!

"Guess they didn't teach you good manners in that mansion of yours, did they _Schnee_? How heartless of you, to belittle someone's disability like that." Strong statements from the woman in black! How scandalous for the heiress to be reprimanded in public like this!

That's what we call a good _fucking_ home run, kids!

I give it an 8/10 for the 'Off-the-Fly' insult category. The two crowning points were deducted based on pre-existing hostility on behalf of the third participant. We keep it professional around here, contestant, and we don't tolerate unprofessional behavior!

Looking back to the now pale-faced heiress, I gotta say, easily bumped the entire experience up to an 11/10. The aghast, scandalized look resting on her face is absolutely priceless! While I was distracted by my girls, Weiss raised her arm as a form of 'barrier' between us and herself. Is she trying to protect herself from the insults or something?

Ya know, I think I'm starting to feel kinda ba-

"You-you-you-you-YOU _IMBECILES_! Do you even have any _idea_ just _who_ you're talking to?! How dare you talk to me like that! Although, I'm not sure just how much _more_ I can expect from some muscle-bound idiot, two sluts and a child. I mean _honestly…_ you all might be just as bad as those filthy faunus criminals. _"_ She gained her composure rather quickly and started spouting off insults like it was natural for her. With speed I didn't even know possible, I grab both Yang and Blake around the midsection and try as casually as possible to keep them restricted, both of them fighting against my grip the entire time. As much of a cunt as she is, it would look bad if my little group murdered the heiress to the biggest dust company in the world. In the middle of Beacon Academy. While trying to pass the entrance exams. Fuck, does this bitch have no tact at all?!

On the other hand, I feel a bit better now. Instead of feeling kinda guilty at the harsh round of bullying we just gave Weiss, I feel justified at the fact that we got this bitch to show her true colors. Apparently this version of Weiss is much more… _open_ about her 'racial views' than the one _I_ know from the show.

'What I'd fucking give to have a prissy Weiss instead of a racist one… Oh! I think I might be losing my temper. _Just_ a little!' At the sight of the near rabid and red-sighted 'sluts' trying their best to rip her heart out, Weiss takes another step back out of startled surprise, sweat beading on her forehead. She gulps, quite audibly, as my annoyance begins to show despite my best efforts. I can't help but have my eye twitch at her comment, and the sharp gasps from either side of me are drowned out as I focused on the white clad _kid_ in front of me.

"I'd scoot away from here if I were you, _small-fry._ Seems you got a knack for making enemies fast." I crunch out, voice lower than usual. I'm not sure _why_ she irks me so much, but that's the way it seems we go together for now. Usually I'd stick to cheesy one-liners and teasing to the extreme, but I feel like something just _drained_ the empathy out of me.

"Or what? You'll sic your two _pets_ on me? I'm not scared of them! I'm here by _recommendation,_ after all. I _do_ have some talent!" She steams haughtily at me, taking a few confident strides towards me before stopping abruptly about five feet away, looking somewhat behind me before snapping her gaze back to mine with something new in her eyes.

"I'll 'sic' them on you? That's not even on the menu." I'd better remedy this while I can… calling her a 'lonely, cold bitch' and threatening to rip her ovaries out through her mouth wouldn't be very family friendly of me, even though I have a rising urge to do just that.

Instead, let's just play the role of 'Daddy', shan't we?

"You keep acting like that in public young lady and I'll have to bend you over my knee and punish you!" I bellow with fatherly might, causing her building retort to flounder before it even had a chance to fly.

"E-excuse me?! Just what do you mean by 'punish'-" She didn't even get to finish verbalizing her irate confusion because, as parents do, I interrupted her mid-rant.

"Is that back-talk I hear, young lady?! Do you want me to pull down your panties and spank you in front of all these nice people?!" I'm balls-deep into this role right now as the spluttering Weiss Schnee intensifies her floundering even further, visibly struggling to find the right words. Her face is exquisitely flushed pink with rage as she heats up even further.

"I- You- Of _course_ I don't want that!" Apparently she's so angry that her voice is coming out shaky. I must have hit one _hell_ of a sore spot… SCORE! "I c-can't even understand why you would _suggest_ something like that!"

"Stop fiddling with your skirt and hush up! Headmaster Ovan- I mean, Headmaster Ozpin is about to start his speech." I dad at her, causing her to pout and respond to my 'dading'.

"This isn't over!" She 'daughters' at me, then walking off through the crowd with a… sway to her hips?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm… weird.

…

I'll say it here and now, I must be watching _waaaaay_ too much porn on the internet if the first 'solution' I thought of for Weiss being a cunt is to kink shame her. I mean, they may call it the extranet here, but that's a Mass Effect thing so I'll just call it the fucking internet. After all, I can't see aliens on it, so what's the 'extra' for?

I'm getting the familiar feeling that my mind is focusing on the wrong things again. How uncanny!

"Ahem, can I have your attention please?" Ah, the stoic Slim Shady headmaster is finally starting his speech? Only took him three weeks, fuck!

"C-can you put us down now?" Breaking my gaze away from Ovan, I look to see Blake's pleading golden eyes. Apparently in my moment of anger, I picked up Blake and Yang entirely off the ground. Now, I'm keeping them aloft by my arms wrapped around their midsections, holding them like luggage.

"Yea Sully, this is kinda-" Yang attempts to add to Blake's request only to be interrupted by me.

"No. This is your punishment for trying to kill someone in one of the most policed areas of the kingdom. I know I'm good, but I don't think even _I_ can smuggle you two out of here before you get caught and arrested by the teachers." With my piece said, silently letting them know that if they ever had to run from the law due to murder I'd have their backs, I turn my attention back to Ozpin the Ovan lookalike, now ignoring my luggage girls completely.

"I'll...keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge; to hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose – direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step." With that, his speech is finished and he walks off without a second to spare, leaving Glynda to give out instructions like some goddamn party favors.

All in all… kinda cool, I give it a 7/10.

Am I in a rating mood or what?

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Chapter 5 µµµµµµµµ END µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 _I gotta fuckin say, I'm pretty proud of my Blake! Homegirl Blake the Tummy Tickler is definitely gonna need some art or something. I even brought you Weiss, the snow cone with a daddy fetish, Ozpin the unintentional cosplayer and some more Yang, as always._

 _Tell me what you beautiful fuckers thought, leave another comment and all that stuff. Definitely tell me what you thought of the little 'naughty' scene I added in there. I worked really hard on that one!_

 _Anyway, this is Solid Snake- FUCK._

 _I-I mean, Shore out!_

 _Once again, I'll see you peeps next time._


	6. Downpour

_*Edited as of 2/10/19. Nearly nothing wrong with this one at all, as far as I saw! Guess practice really does make shit better, huh? Anyway, enjoy yet again, mai boi.*_

 _Oh fuck, that's right! I didn't die in a horrifying train derailment!_

 _Instead, I'm back with a thick-as-fuck chapter. I know it's been a while, sorry. Just know that I have no plans of abandoning my story, doesn't really matter how long it goes without an update I still plan on continuing it. Even if I get busy and stuff._

 _Let's check out the comments from last chapter, yeah?_

 _Managed Dragoon- I'm really glad to hear that you really like the chapter, and even more stoked to hear about the comment challenge you got goin' on man! I know what you mean about the dream sequence too, that was one of my favorite parts to write!_

 _Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch- Thanks for the love, dawg. Glad you didn't mind the lemon shit too much, either. I fucking love MHA by the way_

 _Sandals aren't a bad idea either, honestly. A bit of trivia, people around where I'm from like to call them Mandals as in man sandals as a joke for some reason. In the end, you've got a good cheese choice my boi. Also, thanks for checkin up on me in the pm, I appreciate ya face_

 _Toxic- I love u too bb, here's some more of that good shit for ya_

 _0-Tengatsu-0- Glad you see the M rating same way I do, hombre. I gotta say, I was pleased with myself when I introduced the characters, and be ready for a lot more Blake and Weiss this chapter._

 _The god bois… I got plans for them dude, it's gonna be fun_

 _Anyway, you'll get a glimpse of about half the selection of teams this chapter, so look forward to that. As for the OC thing, I agree. Too many OCs is always a disaster with so much to keep track of. P.S. thanks for checking up on me in the pm, I appreciate that_

 _Raidentensho- The charisma is strong with this one. Also… it's nice to have another hack fan around here, sweet_

 _Whyno- I like your comment dude, you should leave more of them. You've got a good eye for the web I'm spinning, and I'd like to think it goes pretty deep. Appreciate all the compliments for the scene, man!_

 _Alright alright, cool. With all that outta the way, I should probably let you know… I'm uploading this boi on my birthday. For everyone that likes to play my comment game, I want you to try and guess how old I'm turning if you feel like it. That, and your favorite dinner-type food._

 _Let's get this fuckin horror show on the road._

 **Chapter 6 µµµµµµ Downpour µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 _-So I see you had time to feel up my ass. Whaddya think?-_

"Sent." I announce to no one under my breath, smashing the send button on my 'incognito' scroll. This conversation starter is hands down some of the best work I've come up with _yet._ I can't help but feel a bit of apprehension at talking to mini sundae, but in my mind the risk is worth it. Fuck, I went through the trouble of learning how to tinker with the inner-workings of a _scroll_ just so I could have a safe (for myself) avenue to talk to her.

I dunno if you've noticed or anything… but I'm not exactly the most 'tech-savvy' guy to ever get flung through reality. Even with a video guide I'm surprised I didn't manage to blow myself up. I went through all this fucking effort and prep, so you bet your ass I'm gonna use this damn thing!

While ranting in my own mind, I almost didn't notice the words 'Pint-Sized' flash on the dimmed holo-screen of my dismantled device, accompanied by a ding and a vibration that coursed through my hand.

Color me surprised. Or excited. It's whatever, really.

'Seems like Haagen-Dazs is quick on the draw…' I think to myself, already unlocking the scroll in my hands to see the no doubt award-winning response coming from the criminal on the other end. Pulling up the window with a practiced motion, I can't really say I'm too surprised.

 ** _-Pretty nice, not bad at all. And the no shirt style? Continue doing that. I could eat a damn steak of those abs. ;p -_**

Oh.

Oh fuck.

It is so on right now. Mach speeds have been engaged! Pulling open the keypad immediately, I don't even hesitate to think about my response. So clear in my mind's eye, it is.

 _-Fuck, if we're talking about food you're buying me some too. The gun show might be free for the public, but I charge extra for the FEATURES-_

 ** _-... u what?-_**

 _-u heard me. These wagyu beef flanks aren't for free-_

 ** _-Ya know, I think I'm starting to like you-_**

 _-Well fuck, I hope so. I'm sure you'd have killed any other jackoff by now-_

 ** _-you know me so well already! We're DEFINITELY gonna have to meet up sometime-_**

 _-Maybe when you're not actively robbing a good friend of mine, totally-_

Immediately pervading my focus is a very familiar voice, one I've managed to grow very used to over the years. Apparently, I've grown so used to it that I just managed to completely ignore the conversation happening next to me this entire time while texting Tiny and Tri-colored.

"SULLY! Help me! I don't _wanna_ meet new people!" Pleaded the voice of one Ruby Rose, currently being dragged off to her awkward fate by the hands of Yang. The choking sounds coming from Ruby are making me kinda uncomfortable, to be honest. Not a fan.

"Puh-lease Ruby, it's not gonna be that bad! We pretty much already met Blake anyway, don't be so dramatic." Pretty good points there, blondie.

Needless to say, I went directly back to my scroll when it vibrated once more.

 ** _-whatever you say, ocean man. You stopped me pretty fast, so did he even lose anything in the end?-_**

 _-Nah, that old man didn't lose nothing but his pride. He'll get over it-_

 ** _-good! Since you're cute, I think I'll make sure not to rob him anytime soon!-_**

 _-wow. Thank you sooo much, honeysuckle. Nothing like hearing someone promise not to rob and or maim one of your friends-_

 ** _-i never said anything about maiming, macho man.-_**

 _-lol. I trust you not to. I'll have your shower strangle you if you choose otherwise anyway-_

 ** _-sure you will, tentacle boy. Just make sure to cop a feel with those things before you choke me. Be a shame for all this to go to waste-_**

I almost choked on my spit.

That honestly might be a good thing, too. If not, I might not have heard my cue being uttered from over near the big yellow blob close to the window.

"What in the _world_ is going on over here? Don't you realize some of us are trying to sleep!?" Looks like coffee creamer is angry, which… I really can't blame her for. It's late and even _I'm_ tired.

Speaking of, my plan has a very comfy solution to this dire dilemma. Just one more thing to do before I leap into action.

 _-sure, if that's what you really want, tentacle perv. But I gotta go, big day tomorrow. I'll catch ya later.-_

 _-P.S. you got a cute ass-_

'Nice.' I think to myself before immediately turning off my 'surgically altered' scroll and getting up from my oh-so-comfy, oh-so-big sleeping bag. It's a good thing I managed to find one big enough for me, or else this would've been a _very_ chilly night. Despite what you might think, it's not warm in this auditorium at all. Instead I'd call it nippy at best. Definitely not the type of temperature you'd want to forget the 'school shopping list' in, which coincidentally required you to buy your own fuckin' sleeping bag.

Taking a small moment as I walk over to the commotion with a set goal in mind to look back at my _very nice_ bag, I'm treated to the view of a big, fur-lined, 'kill me orange' monstrosity. Easily bigger than two regular bags put together, I couldn't be happier about my find. Not to mention seeing Yang's face light up at the intense color.

In the words of Naruto, 'Orange is cool, go fuck yourself jackass'.

The words of a _true_ hero, if I've ever heard them.

Focusing back on the matter at hand, it only takes a few moments to arrive at the scene of an intense lecturing. One I feel must end soon.

As Weiss continues barking out complaints rapid fire, I observe the victims. Ruby, nearly shaking in her polka dot jammies, is slowly backing away from the vicious snow demon. Blonde and busty, however, displays obvious annoyance. Constant eye-rolling and snark, mixed with her posture of hands lazily clasped behind her head easily indicates this. The subject Home-girl Blake Belladonna shows a stark difference. Half-lidded eyes observe the scene folding out in front of her with a glaze, almost like she's viewing it from a distance despite close proximity.

Maybe she's sleepy, my dude. Makes sense, I can barely fight off a monstrous yawn of my own just at the thought of getting some good-ass sleep, so I can understand how she feels. Let's intervene, shall we?

I go about sneaking up behind the blonde mop that is my girlfriend, and even trouble myself with tuning into the conversation. Not for anything important, I'm just curious how long 2% can keep talking.

"Do you bunch of dolts have _any_ idea what time it is?! I can't believe you lot would be so insensitive as to deprive fellow prospective students of well needed sleep before such an important day!" Color me shocked, is Mount Fuji here _actually_ making points in favor of others around her? "And more importantly, your making me lose out on my beauty sleep!"

Ah, never mind then. Just a fleeting dream in the mind of hope, I suppose.

To no one's surprise, Yang spotted potential for a ribbing and took it without hesitation. Too bad I'm not patient enough right now to let her finish.

"We get it, Weiss-cream. You look like you need all the beauty sleep you can- HEY!" Cut off in the middle of her 'stellar' barb towards Weiss, she shouts out with confusion as she's picked up and held aloft by her midsection.

That's right bitch, the luggage hold is back!

"Sorry to snow on this little parade of loud ya got going on here girls, but Papa Bear tired." I grumble, playing up the character even more than I actually mean to.

"And just what does that have to do with us, you musclebound caveman?" Take a wild guess who said that.

"Papa Bear tired, so am going to use Mama Bear as pillow. Comfy." Anyone remember the Yeti from Twilight Princess? Just me?

Fuck. I'm old.

My eyes glide over a snickering Ruby and broiling Weiss to land on Blake once again. Her head continuously lolls to the side every couple of seconds, and despite jerking back into position equally as quickly, I'm sure she doesn't have long left. I also can't help but notice a glaring fact.

Bitch ain't got no sleeping bag. No seriously, stop laughing. It's legitimately bothering me! I turn towards her, shortening the distance between us by a few steps and subsequently toting my limited-edition Gucci Yang bag with me. Seems she's decided to cross her arms and pout for the moment.

'She'll get over it.' My mind strays once again to the doubtlessly chilly faunus now sitting in front of me when yet another half-cocked plan bursts into my mind.

'Why don't we just fucking ask her, you idiot?' That's a good fucking idea, me! I should have thought of that! Initiate talking feature, action figure Sully!

"Yo Blake." I start off, catching her attention successfully, though bleary eyed it may be. "Your pajamas are cute as fuck."

…

What? Did I just say that?

"Agreed. Cute as fuck." I hear Yang agree with me from under my arm, a quick glance down sees her with legs and arms stretched out entirely, accompanied by a double thumbs up and an utterly serious expression. How supportive.

"Erm, thank…. you?" She mutters out, yellow eyes tiredly flicking between both myself and my cargo.

Oops.

"Uh, what I meant to say was something else, but I stand by that. So, do you have a sleeping bag? I don't see one anywhere near here…" I let my question trail off, so as to give her room for an answer. To my immense surprise, a deepened frown crawls across her face for a brief few moments before being replaced once again by that blank-ish, tired expression.

"No." Well, fuckin' blunt are we? "I may have forgotten to get one before I came…" She answers in a dulcet tone. Thing is, she's not looking me in the eyes, instead choosing to stare into the candles sitting next to her. That particular action strikes me for one reason or another.

'Is she _lying_ to me…? None of my business.' I throw a longing look back towards my own 'sleeping station', and with a heavy heart make my decision. A decision that will shape the very world in its entirety.

"' _None of my business'_ my ass… I can't mind my own beezwax even if my life depends on it." I mutter under my breath, barely even audible to myself. A quick shake of my head has me back in reality, and I take the chance to reach my free hand out to the still tired girl. With narrowed, still droopy eyes she looks first at the hand presented to her, then trails up my arm to look me in the eyes. I can see the unasked question without any trouble, so I answer.

"You can use mine. Come on, let's go." Immediately a good chunk of the tiredness in her eyes is abandoned, instead replaced with muted shock.

Now that I take a second to think about it, I basically met this chick _today_ and went about shoving myself into her life. I mean, I guess I _succeeded_ and all that, but maybe I should slow down?

…

Hmmmm…. No.

Imma do what I want.

"Just take my hand and don't argue, I'm too tired for this." I grumble out, displaying my impatience for all to see. With an exaggerated roll of her eyes, she blows out the candles and takes my hand, keeping a hold on her book all the while. I can't help but let out a snort.

'Seems like she's gotten a grasp on my personality already. I'm too damn persistent once I've made my mind up.'

I grip her much smaller hand in my own, pulling her to her feet with little effort. Despite my part being done now, I don't let go of the hand in mine quite yet. Ya see, I'm done here now, and I don't want any delay in getting back to home base.

The Ninja Blake Belladonna has joined your party. Fuckin' cool, dawg.

Turning around and preparing to march back, my carry-on actually catches my attention with a well-placed complaint.

"How come Blake gets to walk and _I'm_ getting carried back? That's not fair at all, you beach bum!" A question I shall answer shamelessly and without consideration for personal boundaries.

"Yuh huh, it is _so_ fair. Homegirl over here is wearing a dress…skirt…pajama thing, and if I carried her like you everyone would see her panties, dude. I don't think that would be very cool." I answer without looking, continuing to walk through the patches of beds and fresh meat.

"He's right. I don't think it would be cool either..." Mumbles Blake, somehow still on the verge of sleep despite now tramping through a fucking cabbage patch of tweens. I can't help but shoot a glance her way as we continue walking. She's keeping up pace just fine, but her eyes are barely _resembling_ open at the moment. With her book under her arm, her hand is free and vigorously rubbing at her eye. Guess that's just a testament to how tired she must be.

Hell… to be honest, just watching her is making _me_ tired. Again.

I try my best to fight back a yawn as I turn back around, only to be shocked by the presence of something almost _offensively_ blue. Blake and I stop in our tracks, impeded by the blue mass as it's stationed right in our path. With no other choice in my mind, I take a precious second to actually _look_ at what the mass could possibly be… and in that instant, I'm actually a bit shocked.

Standing before me, in all his blue bunny goodness, is Jaune Arc. Complete with hand-wringing action!

"Dude…" Yang trails off, broke out of her pouting by Jaune's… _magnificent_ pajamas. I can't say I blame her.

"Eh, uhm… you're Sully, right?" He asks me, sounding about like he might have a stroke.

Guess he's nervous.

"Yeah that's me. Whassup?" Award winning introduction. Bite me.

"Ehm, _well_ , my name's Jaune Arc. I don't know if you remember, but you gave me some pills aboard the ship for motion sickness and I can't even _tell_ you how much that helped me out! I just wanted to say thank you while I can…" As he continues, his nervousness all but leaves him. Instead of stuttering or running over his words, a _tiny_ bit of passion leaks into his words, and that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

…

I'm a sap for Jaune, okay? He's cool. And in the end, I really can't help myself. I've probably been thinking for a few seconds since he looks like he's about to turn and leave. Before he gets the chance to do so, however, I decide to take a leap and speak my mind.

"Yeah, don't worry about that man. You needed to pop some pills more than me." For some reason that triggers an idea in my mind. Don't ask me why, cuz I have no idea at all. I take a glance back at where we just came from and the scene that greets me is Weiss still verbally flaying poor Ruby. With every sweeping arm gesture Ruby sneaks another step back, and I can only imagine that in a couple of seconds she's just gonna bolt away from the devil in white.

This really puts an idea in my head. Which I share to the world immediately and with no hesitation. Kind of a theme right now, oddly enough.

"Ya know, Jaune… you should move your shit over to where we are." I swivel my gaze back towards him only to find a fair amount of shock. Deciding to pay it no mind, I continue on. "We've got enough room, and you can talk to Ruby some more."

"R-really? Tha- wait, you know Ruby?" The surprisingly well-hidden apprehension on his face quickly morphs into confusion. Understandable, really. I doubt he was expecting to meet her again so soon…. if they even met yet.

I forgot that shit was different already… I'll have to start taking notes, man. Let's play it off!

"Yeah, she's Yellow's sister." I punctuate my answer by lifting the Blonde Carry-On a bit more, drawing his attention towards her. Sadly enough, he doesn't look shocked or anything… but that might have something to do with me carrying her _both times_ I've met him now.

Never in my entire life did I think that for someone out there, seeing _me_ carrying around _Yang Xiao Long_ like some kinda pet would be a normal, everyday occurrence.

…

Wack.

"Anyway, no more questions. We're all tired, so we're gonna fall into a pile of orange fluffy bedding and pillows. Laters." I announce my decree with a puffed-up chest, and immediately begin walking once more towards dream town.

"Uh, _excuse_ me?" Yellow all but demands from underneath the beef that is my arm.

"Yea, we're gonna _what_?" Blake has chosen to support the questioning of Yang, probably put off by my wording.

It's too bad that they didn't listen to the part where I said THE KING IS NO LONGER ANSWERING QUESTIONS. SLEEP TIME NOW.

 _"_ I said no more questions, ladies. The sleep… cometh." I continue my march.

…

"By the way Yang, now you have to be a pillow for Blake too. I can't leave homegirl without one."

"I reiterate… _excuse me?_ "

"I reiterate… no more questions. The king has spoken and so it shall be."

All of us ended up using regular pillows that night because Blake didn't want to lay down on Yang's titties, and I wanted the lap. So close, Sully… so close.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Time Skip µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

"Wonder what those two were so worked up about?" Ruby wonders aloud as the very pink and vibrant Valkyrie and young Monty depart for the cliffs. They must be some of the first motherfuckers to get there, heading out so fast. While Ruby fills out pretty much every belt she has with dust bullets, Yang is sitting on the bench behind us and our 'Stupid-as-fuck-rocket-lockers'. She's equipping Izlazac Sunca at the moment, making sure they're tightly in place. As one does with fucking shotgun boots.

Me? I'm standing next to Ruby at my own opened locker, busy tying my hair up into a surprisingly spiky pony tail with my leather cord. A very important detail for any battle, indeed.

"Oh, who knows? So…!" She trails off excitedly, giving her greave a good stomp against the floor to make sure it stays firm. With the resounding metallic clank, she continues her little script. " _You_ seem awfully chipper this morning." Ruby responds quickly with a weird giggle… gurgle thing.

She's a very odd girl, that Rosie.

"Yep! No more awkward small talk, _or_ any of that 'getting to know you' shit. Today I get to let my _sweetheart_ do the talking." Then young Rosie begins to _pet her fucking death-machine._

 _…_

A very odd girl indeed.

With a final tug on the cords now expertly holding back my _ever so fluffy_ locks, I turn around from my locker. Seeing how we've been here for a good while already, I've had more than enough time to get decked out. Weapons, check. Chukkas, chekka. Accessories, check. Dope ass emblem jacket, dope ass check.

Toasted bagel with peanut butter and honey? Also check. Fucking delicious.

Some might see it as weird that I brought a delicious delicacy into the locker room while getting ready to be launched off a cliff, but-

"Sully why the hell do you have a bagel in the locker room? That's kinda weird…" Inquires Yellow from the bench, now wearing an expression of… is that the physical manifestation of 'u nasty'? I'm feeling attacked right now, dude. I can only take hold of the bagel that's been resting by the grip of my mouth _so_ fast, leaving me free to retort.

"Shut the _fuck_ up! I was still hungry when you wanted to leave the cafeteria, so I grabbed a snack for the road! Don't you look at me like that, you know my diet is heavy…" Don't you look at my treasure like a thief! You'll never get it, it's mine goddamit!

I may or may not be hungry. MINE.

Through gluttonous eyes I can see Yang roll her own, then ignoring me in favor of Ruby.

" _Anyway,_ just remember Ruby, you're not the only one going through initiation. If you wanna grow up, you're gonna have to meet new people and learn to work together." Hearing this shit in person is weird as all living fuck. No joke, just a statement.

"Uggghhhh, you sound like _Dad!_ Okay first of all, what does meeting people have to do with fighting? _And SECOND_ , I don't need people to help me grow up!" Oh fuck here it comes!

" _I_ drink _milk_!" She announces to the world, proud beyond all reason. The grinch's heart grew three sizes this day… because that was **adorable as hell.**

Ya know, maybe I'll just let this play out. Not too often you get a first-row ticket to watch RWBY live. Hell, I've even got snacks for the occasion!

Catch me inside, eating a bagel in the middle of a conversation.

"But what about when we form teams?" Asks Yang, already up off the bench with her hands now propped on her hips.

"Erhm, I dunno… I'll just be on your team, I guess?" Ruby, honey… can you sound more nervous if you tried?

"Well… maybe you should try being on someone else's team?" Tries the bombshell, now also being all nervous and trying to keep herself busy by playing with her hair.

'Man, this is getting really uncomfortable… I finished my bagel a couple lines ago, I don't really think I'm having any fun anymore.' Gears start turning in my mind as I try to think of literally _anything else_ to do. To come clean about it, I don't particularly feel… _comfortable_ just hanging around these two at the moment. Sisterly fury is about to be unleashed, and I can already tell it's gonna be giving off magma-level heat.

Tis' no place for a Sullivan lad to be, no sir.

As I glaze my eyes over the rest of the room, I see pretty much all it has to offer. Down a ways from me are the Princess and the Warrior. The Chi Master and the Sugar Inhaler already left. The Cowgirl Brawler and Little Red are right next to me, and the Dimension Traveling Beach Boy is me… that leaves one person of interest left.

And, as fate would have it, out of the corner of my eye I see a flash of black and white. Nearly on the other side of the room, yet still surprisingly in main view is the Secretive Ninja Babe, Blake Belladonna. You know what this means.

"Target has been found. Executing capture protocol." I say without any thought. It's of no consequence anyways, as the Arian Knight hasn't broken up the duo's little fight next to me yet, meaning no one heard it but me.

Still made me proud. I'm the kinda guy that'll laugh at his own jokes…. it's serious.

I take my leave of the bickering sisters and make my way across the room towards my new target. Blake seems busy with something in her locker, so she'll be simple to sneak up on. In a matter of moments I've reached her, and once I get close enough I decide to take my time to be sneaky. Quietly getting up-close and personal with her, I decide to take it easy on her with the jump scares.

"Hey Blake, how ya going?"

I didn't even get my entire question out before she reacted. _Explosively._

Whatever she was fondling was dropped to the floor, landing with a metallic clink against the tiles. The ravenette spins around with a hand clutching her chest, eyes wide in shock from my _magnificent_ entrance.

'I'm actually kinda starting to feel a little bad…'

And just as that thought goes through my mind, her demeanor changes entirely. Her hand drops from her chest and she somehow regains her composure in the blink of an eye. Taking only a few spare seconds to look me up and down, she gives her 'saving grace'.

"Oh. It's just _you_." She then bends over to quickly pick up the bullet she fumbled, standing up and resuming her passive posture just as quickly.

'Critical hit taken. Seeking medical attention is recommended.'

I'm fucking shook.

"Ugh, you… what? What the fuck's up with that, dude?" I'm obviously still not speechless, no matter how rude little Blakey is.

"What do you mean?" She raises a single eyebrow in curiosity as she asks her question. That passive face of yours is starting to piss me off, dawg.

Cat?

"Fuck you mean 'Oh, it's just you'? Yeah, like fuck Sully, this big asshat over here…" Seriously, what the hell is this shit supposed to be? What happened to being homies?

"Not sure _what_ you're talking about." She answers once more, though this time without that famous passive expression, surprisingly enough. Instead of frankness, a smug little shit-eating grin plasters itself across her face, meaning only one thing.

One very, very dark thing. I let my shoulders droop dramatically and a heavy exhale escapes my lungs as I realize exactly _what_ the fuck is goin' on.

"...are you goofing on me right now?" I stare her down after my realization, and sure enough one of her hands shoots up to cover her mouth in an attempt to stop the snort that comes out. Needless to say, she failed.

Normally, I'd probably be embarrassed about getting played like this… but I just can't in _this_ instance. This is _Blake Belladonna_ that just decided to _prank_ me. Now, ya might not understand just from that, so lemme explain this shit to ya homeboy. Blake is one of the most… blasé people around. The fact she's comfortable enough to try and fuck with me after knowing me for _one day,_ means only good shit for me!

"... I can't verbally express how happy I am. You're a total homegirl!" I'm excited. Not too excited that I'd forget what I wanted to ask her, though. "Wait! Before I forget, what do ya think of all the others?"

"The other students? Well… I can tell you they're _all_ dangerous. We'll have to wait and see how well they use their skills before we can get a read on them for the most part." As she says this, she leans slightly to the side to peer at the others still in the locker room. However few there are, she seems to have picked out a target of her own.

I'm so _proud,_ dude. The girls are learning my ways.

"I _can_ say for certain that the redhead over there is _extremely_ skilled." With a nod of her head as an indicator, I follow the direction with my eyes and find Pyrrha, much to my shock. I guess its time to, uhm… 'feign the truth' about who I know.

It's time to lie. Time to lie directly to her face.

"WHO? THAT ONE, WITH THE NICE HAIR?!" I ask loudly, gaining the attention of not only the redhead in question, but also Legs and White Knight at the same time. This is gonna be fun. I shoot a quick smile and a wave towards them then turn to Blake again, with a brand-new plan in mind.

"You done with your locker?" I ask her hurriedly, smile still firmly in place as I look at her. With a look of odd amusement on her face she rolls her eyes at me. In one swift motion her locker is now closed and she's turned to me, wearing an expectant expression before answering as simply as possible.

"Yep." Very noticeably, she didn't pop the p.

Interesting.

"Awesome! Let's go make some new friends, homegirl." I grab her hand without much thought and begin leading us towards the triage that caught my attention. As we get closer, it becomes more and more obvious that both Jaune and Weiss lost interest in us in favor of their own conversation. In other words, Weiss lecturing Jaune about not knowing a celebrity.

Does that even count as a conversation? That's more along the lines of getting talked _at,_ isn't it? Rest in peace, blonde one.

Anyway, Pyrrha apparently _didn't_ end up forgetting about us. Instead of paying attention to the endless nagging of Weiss, she's got a set of curious eyes on Blake and I, watching as we get closer.

And also flicking towards Jaune occasionally. Don't think I didn't notice that, Big Red.

For I see all. I am the **god of the fucking ocean. None shall escape my gaze.**

…

I'm also neurotic, apparently. Cool. I think I can put that on my resume or something.

Finally pulling up to the party, I decide to casually place us next to the spartan. With a wide smile I decide to introduce myself to her. Such a steep decision that was for me.

"Hey, the name's Victor Arcadia Sullivan. Everyone calls me Sully though." Simple and easy enough, I gotta say. After my little piece, I throw a quick look to Mrs. Incognito next to me as a silent nudge to do the same. Instead of the barely amused expression I expected to see looking back at me, there was something else.

Blake _did_ have the same amused look to her eyes, but instead of staring at me they were locked onto our still intertwined hands. A quick glance at my own eyes has her amusement visibly skyrocketing in the shape of _a fucking smile BABY!_

Oh yea, bitch!

"And _who_ said you could hold my hand?" She asks with a rather noticeable tinge of joy to her voice. Seems she's getting used to cracking jokes at me.

Let's crush that.

"Me. _I_ said I could, dude. And I'm too invested to stop now, so deal with it. Introduce yourself to the nice lady, Homegirl." You better not back talk me again or so help me cat god-

"I'm Blake. It's nice to meet you." She announces to Pyrrha pleasantly. I'll just skirt around the fact that her introduction was better than mine in favor of waiting for Pyrrha's own intro.

"It's very nice to meet the both of you! My name is Pyrrha Nikos." She greets back even more pleasant than either of us. Such a nice young woman!

…

I can only wonder what personality quirk she's gonna end up having.

Beyond my own nihilistic thoughts however, I _did_ manage to catch Pyrrha covertly glancing at my torso every now and again. Even while walking over here, I could clearly see her looking at my chest.

Which strikes me as strange.

Only now, after most likely _many_ glances has it registered that her eyes are caught by my scars. Am I just that oblivious that I'd ignore that completely in favor of my little 'plans'?

Or have I gotten used to it? Has _everyone_ been unnerved by these fuckin' bullet wounds and I've just gotten so used to ignoring the looks that I drown them out?

…better file that thought for later. Maybe Yang could help fill in all these blanks?

"UGH! Look, _Jaune_ is it?" I get knocked out of my existential crisis by Weiss of all people going off on Jaune once more. Looks like this fucking cowboy found himself a got-damned 'lecture scene' in the form of Weiss making fun of knighty knight.

'Well… that just won't do, will it?' Even in my subconscious I'm snarky and full of myself. That's why I'm the best, obviously!

But I know enough to bide my time and wait for the perfect moment to strike. I honestly don't think Legs even knows Blake and I are here yet.

"Do you have _any_ idea who you're talking to?" Whole Milk asks, a question I'm only _too_ sure was rhetorical.

"Not in the slightest, Snow Angel." Answers Jaune with all the speed and romantic force of a fucking bullet train. The way he leans in makes me feel like chuckling honestly, but I do my best to hold it in.

Poor Pyrrha can only look on in awkward, internal _terror._ I feel like I've seen this look somewhere before, actually…

" _This_ , is Pyrrha." With a waving hand motion towards everyone's favorite _non-blood-thirsty_ spartan, said spartan takes that as her cue for **another** introduction.

"Hello again!" She announces happily with a polite wave.

I wonder if she has veteran flashbacks to when she doubtlessly had to attend press conferences every time she gets introduced?

"Pyrrha graduated top of her class at Sanctum." Weiss introduces, quite fervently at that.

"Never heard of it." Jaune shoots back passively. I gotta say that for the record, I fucking _love_ this damn sass he's exuding right now! It reminds me of _me_!

"UHG!" Starting out a statement with a pout isn't a good way to assert your dominance, Weiss. "She's won the Mistral regional tournaments _four_ years in a row, a new record!" She's getting heated now, boys. Step back unless you can take the heat!

"The what?" Jaune is a treasure. Truly.

Then comes the face. The single face that I've waited _actual years_ to see. The sheer amount of _disbelief_ on Weiss' face right now almost makes up for her personality with a similar amount of hilarity.

And the key word there, boys and girls, is _almost._ She's still pretty… whiny. To put it lightly.

Then like a volcano erupting, the temper of one Weiss Schnee followed. With a childish waving of her arms, which forced _everyone_ present to take a couple steps back either from shock or risk of actual physical punishment, she let loose her mighty roar.

"She's on the front of _every_ Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box!"

…

I'm starting to get the feeling that little Fiocco here actually has a shrine dedicated to this poor uncomfortable tournament competitor. Getting some major stalker vibes. A quick glance towards Blake shows pretty much my exact thoughts, either that or she's taken up uncomfortably eyeing Weiss like the suspect of a girl she is as a hobby.

Either one, I guess.

Cue starstruck gasp of one Jaune Arc. Esquire, ladies.

" _That's_ _ **you**_ _?!_ They only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters!" Of which she is technically both, young Arc. Such irony is only for the shoulders of the truly strong.

Like me.

"Yeah, it was pretty cool! Sadly the cereal isn't very good for you…" She answers with a bit of embarrassment, something that quickly turns into dietary concern. Such a sweet one, she is.

Gotta be honest, she'd probably make an awesome mom. Or maybe a pediatrician.

Not important. What _is_ important, however, is what time it is. My dear, it's time to spring my plan into action!

Hold onto your fucking liquor kids.

Without even a moments hesitation, I slide back into the conversation like a champ, taking with me a certain Blake Belladonna whom is still holding my hand. Wrapping my free arm around Pyrrha's shoulders, I let fly my perfectly timed 'supporting information' that I can never not love.

"She's _also_ a 'bad bitch'!" I say with a grand smile, my trademark cheery attitude completely derailing the direction of the conversation. To my left I hear a slap, and without even looking I can already say for certain that it was the tell-tale sound of Blake face-palming at the ballsy nature of my fucking awesome interjection. To my right, the curious ever-innocent gaze of Pyrrha looks at my own, looking not at all put-off by my arm around her. In only seconds, an _extremely_ put-off Weiss was turned around and now taking in the sight of not only me, but also _another_ person she doesn't exactly like. Poor milky. Beyond even her, I watch as Jaune's expression considerably brightens up! Seems I've made a good impression on him!

I'm feeling proud right now.

"Oum, not you again!" Shouts out Weiss, which I immediately ignore.

Read at 11:07.

"Ehm… Victor? I'm a 'bad bitch'?" The tone of her voice is _completely_ lost. Guess ya boi is gonna have to educate her.

"Absolutely! See, the reason is because the bottoms of your heels are coated in red. Only bad bitches wear red bottom heels." I preach, making wild motions towards Pyrrha's legs and heels. Also… fucking _nobody_ calls me Victor. It's weird.

"Really?" Pyrrha is just _soaking up_ every ounce of this information.

As one should. Historical knowledge like this is coveted by literally everyone.

"Yea, it's a good thing Pyrrha." My answer gives her a bit of a smile, and that actually makes me feel pretty proud. I came in here looking to make a joke, but I actually about made her day. Nice.

"So, Jaune… do you also think I'm a 'bad bitch'?" Pyrrha asks with visible hesitation, obviously unsure of the term and _probably_ of asking the blonde pretty boy what he thinks.

I think I'm gonna give him a fighting chance.

"Well, I-" Jaune starts, cut off quickly by myself providing battlefield support in the form of the correct answer.

"Jaune say yes."

"Why of course I do, my beautiful Forever Fall!" Jaune finishes with a suave smile, completely blowing not only Pyrrha, but myself out of the water. A part of me feels like I've made a devastating mistake… but the overwhelming other parts of me can't help but feel happy. The fact that Pyrrha immediately planted her hand on her check like a schoolgirl only makes me feel confident in my success!

This turned out to be a really interesting conversation.

"Ehm… so… with all of _whatever that was_ out of the way, do you really think-" Weiss begins once more, and just like that a switch is flipped.

Aaaaand I'm bored. RIP. Luckily instead of having to force myself into this boring ass puzzle, Blake actually catches my attention with a question of her own.

"Bad bitches and red bottom heels?" A simple question, as hers often are, but I can see what she's _actually_ asking. I'm just fuckin' _good_ like that.

"Yeah, I heard a lot of songs where that's a thing." I answer a bit sheepishly… reason being that the songs I always think of aren't exactly… _good_.

They're fun though. That's gotta count for something… **right?**

"Really? You listen to a lot of music, don't you?" Seems little Blake is curious. I guess I'd better satiate the-

"Of **course** he does!" A boisterous and _extremely familiar_ voice answers from right next to me. I'm not ashamed to say that I jumped a little at Yellow's prank… I'm not a pussy, _you_ are. Turning just to my left sees Both Yang and Ruby, apparently done with their little spat, now standing with my newly formed squad. Apparently now looking to finish the quip towards me, Ruby tacks on with her _own_ piece.

"You wouldn't even _believe_ how often he has a song in his head! He's actually not too bad at singing either." Awww, how sweet! "Strangely enough…" Ruby finishes with a shrug, leaving me with a damn heart full of hurt. Chibis are some of the meanest animals in the known world.

"Rude ass…" I mumble out under my breath, gaining a giggle from Yang. Just as I'm about to continue, my attention gets caught by little snowfall getting… agitated.

"Alright! That's a bit too close… Pyrrha, a little help _please_?!" Weiss begs, easily put off by just how close Jaune got to her. To be fair… he's _really close to her face._ Shit, this is making **me** feel uncomfortable. With the tell-tale sound of a mechashift, I honestly thought it would be safe to assume that everything would go according to the show's _weird_ Jaune-abusing script.

Guess who was wrong?

"NOOOOOOOO!" A squeaky voice yells in a surprisingly pleading tone, and next thing I know little Rosie is phased out of existence, instead replaced by a stream of rose petals. Finding her isn't too hard. As my eyes follow the trail, my mind is shot as it seems to lead _directly towards_ Pyrrha. After laying my eyes on her… I gotta say I'm shocked.

I guess inviting Jaune to spend the night talking with Ruby really… changed a couple things.

Fuck.

Wrapped around Pyrrha's throwing arm, aka the one holding the **fucking spear** she was about to throw at her potential comrade, is one Ruby Rose. A _limited-edition_ Ruby Rose with puppy eye action! SHE'S WORTH AT LEAST THREE BASE SET ROSIES!

Although, the fact that she's been infected with the knowledge of cursing _could_ technically be counted as a defect. That would either lower the value… OR DRASTICALLY INCREASE THE VALUE TO UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS!

Enough of my mental instability though, let's tune into the action!

Looking at the young woman currently wrapped around her arm, I can see clearly on Pyrrha's face a look of pure confusion… still no discomfort though. I'll have to file that shit away for later. Ruby, meanwhile, is indulging herself in a nonstop ramble in an attempt to save Jaune's _actual life._ Ya know, even if she _doesn't_ know yet, Jaune ain't got no aura. He's just a regular motherfucker that managed to get here.

He's an absolute MadLad!

"PLEASE DON'T HURT HIM PYRRHA! He's really nice, and he's one of my only friends here! What if you break through his aura, that could cripple him for the exam and I'llhavetowatchmyonlyfriendthatisn'tfamilygetsenthomeand-"

Holy fucking shit Ruby. Taking lessons from a certain ginger, I see…

 ****WOULD ALL FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS PLEASE REPORT TO BEACON CLIFF FOR INITIATION. AGAIN, ALL FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS REPORT TO BEACON CLIFF IMEDIATELY.****

And just like that, Ruby's rambling ceased. Her eyes very clearly flick from Pyrrha to Jaune many times before a familiar steel passes over her face. Without any warning, Pyrrha's arm is once again free and Ruby is gone yet again. Following the trail finds her by Jaune, with an apparently strong grip already in place on his hand as she begins rushing the poor guy.

"Come on Jaune! Let's go so we can get a spot away from this cheater!" Pretty much already running, the knight has no choice but to indulge his younger friend. In mere seconds they're on their way to the cliffs in style, leaving Pyrrha shell-shocked.

"Slow down a bit there, Ruby! You're way faster than me!" Jaune's distanced cries echo from the hallway exit. Apparently though, this little bit from him was all it took to wake Pyrrha from her mental slumber. Spear still held tightly in her hand she begins her sprint towards the same exit the duo used, rushing past all of us without a single glance.

"W-wait up! I'm not a cheater… I'M SORRY! JAUNE!" And just like Ruby, she's gone without a trace.

This is shaping up to be a _fucking weird day._

A quick survey of the room shows that a total of four people are still here. Myself, Yang, Blake and Weiss seem to be the only ones not already on their way to the cliffs. Barring Weiss, we've all been too busy staring in blank shock at the exit to really kick it in gear. Weiss, the poor little snowflake, has her jaw on the floor while staring at the exit. Her brain most likely fried just now, seeing someone she held in such high esteem chase after _not only_ some random guy she immediately deemed 'an annoying waste of space', but also some little girl that successfully annoyed her since arriving at Beacon.

Actually, saying it like that makes me feel a bit… empathetic.

Command has made a decision… initiate.

"Uhm…. okay? Anyway let's get a move on girls! Being late is considered a party foul, that'll get points docked from our 'Clout Tally'." I announce out loud, already beginning the newest 'journey' to the cliffs. A quick look behind me and I see Blake and Yang sharing a look just before they join me… they better not be laughing at me again.

Cheeky cunts.

"Whatever you say, ya beach bum." Jackass number one says.

"Yea, I dunno what you're talking about… but being late for initiation would probably get us disqualified." Corroborates Jackass number 2.

"...you guys suck." I declare, gaining a snort from Yang as we continue on our way. As we pass a flash of white, however, I can't help but stop in my tracks. Mentally _and_ physically. What I'm about to do has a _very high chance_ of blowing up in my face… yet something in me can't help but take the chance.

Does that mean I'd get addicted to gambling really easily?

"Hey!" I bark out, turning around towards Weiss who is still standing there motionless. Thankfully that was all it takes to knock her out of her trance. Now instead of staring wide eyed _through_ me, she's staring _into_ me with dagger-eyes. Baby steps, Sully. "Are you coming or what?"

Plan 384 initiated.

"And what makes you think I'll go with _you three_ of all people?" She asks snootily, honestly bringing up a pretty good point.

"Nothing, actually." I answer immediately. Such a firm answer seems to have caught little snowflake's attention. "You just look like you need a friend." Is it me or does she look really tense right now?

"So what'll it be? Ya coming with us or are you gonna walk alone, little Nevicata?"

"Little what?" She asks with obvious apprehension. What's odd, is that she decided to focus on the nickname instead of my offer. On another note… she's staring _directly_ at my chest.

Guess that means I really _have_ grown numb to all the looks.

"It means little snowfall, now hurry up! I'm not gonna be late _before the first day!_ "

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Beacon Cliffs µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Beach Boy is fucking stoked right now!

"For years, you have trained to become warriors. Today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Ozzy-man says, sounding just as comfortable on this cliff side as he might in his own damn office. Cocky Ovan.

'I even feel like I'm in a good spot in the lineup!' A glance to my left shows only two other potential students. Blake and Weiss, standing in that order, already look prepared to fly. A quick swivel to my right, and Yang stands at attention, followed by all the other student. Only Pyrrha, Rosie and Jaune are grouped up like we happen to be, but that's because they're **right fucking next to us.**

I didn't know just _how_ right I was when I joked about being the last ones to show up. That look Ozzy gave me had me feeling scared for my record of never getting _actually_ scolded by a father-like figure.

It was _clearly_ in jeopardy.

"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. _Well,_ allow us to put an end to your confusion." Here it comes motherfucker. "Each of you will be given teammates." GET READY FOR IT BITCH! "Today."

"What?" I hear from down the line, quickly followed by a sigh which is absolutely full to the brim with apprehension. Poor Rosie, you're about to get bombarded with soul-crushing information.

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon." Ozz-bot begins, that sadistic old coot. "So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well." Some fancy fucking wordplay there Ozzy, not gonna lie.

Stop talking like that.

More whines of audible anxiety echo from the line. Your torment feeds me.

"That being said…" Oh don't do it to 'em Ozzy, they ain't ready! "…the first person you make eye-contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

'What an absolute MADLAD.'

"WHAT?!" She'll get over it…. or maybe she won't.

" _See?_ I _told_ you!" Hey look it's best friend number 2!

"After you've partnered up, make your way to the _northern_ end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way." Kinda blunt there but okay. "Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you _will_ die."

"Now were fucking talking!" I whisper excitedly to my plate mates. Glynda might have immediately zeroed in on me for my 'sailor mouth', pun intended, but NO ONE SHALL STIFLE THE EXCITEMENT OF THE KING.

That mischievous look on big Yellow's face has the king a bit worried though, to be honest.

"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene." At this latest statement, he seems to see fit to send a pointed look towards Glynda. She meets the look with a steady one of her own. Weird. "You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one, and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?" Too much exposition… must process.

Custom Alucard sunglasses: On.

"Yeah, um… sir? I've got a-" Starts the clueless blonde knight. I guess in the end it doesn't really matter if he gets an answer to his question or not, since he's got both Pyrrha _and_ Ruby as a safety net. That's great… especially since he just got cut off.

"HEY! I've got a question!" Says a _very familiar voice to the direct left of me._

"Hmm?" Oh fuck, guess Ozpin is intrigued enough to listen to _her_ question. While his facial features still remain carefully average, not showing too much interest, his eyes are alight with amusement. I think it's safe to say he didn't expect someone other than Jaune to ask a question. I should probably address the fact that students are already being launched

"Do we have to stay on our launchpads to get into the forest, or can we do it how we want?" Yang asks very seriously. The large, shit-eating grin on her face doesn't help her tone.

Wait… nani?

"Miss Xiao Long if you think this is some form of-" Glynda starts, most likely ready to berate Yangy-poo here into oblivion. She never gets the chance, however, as she's cut off by Ozpin raising his hand, effectively cutting her off. She's looking just as confused as I'm feeling, actually.

Maybe that's her angry face?

"I don't quite remember stating that as part of the rules, Miss Xiao Long. Feel free to do as you please." I get the distinct feeling that telling her that was a tactical mistake, Ozzy. If the incredulous face Goodwitch is wearing right now says anything, then she feels about the same as me.

 **CHUNK.**

"Sweet!" Shouts Yellow, pumping an arm with gusto. Then she starts checking Izlazac Sunca.

 **CHUNK.**

Probably not a good thing. To be honest… I don't even want to think about it.

So I won't.

 **CHUNK.**

Have I mentioned that I'm excited?

 **CHUNK.**

'Finally I get to have a little fun… which means tearing apart the local animals, of course!'

 **CHUNK.**

'Fuck, I sure have gotten bloodthirsty in the past few years. What happened to the sweet little gun-shot sporting fuckhead I was when I got here?'

 **CHUNK.**

Cue a piercing, girl-like shriek emitting from the now flying young lad.

Poor Jaune.

'Speaking of bloodthirsty, I wonder what Neo's up to? I'll have to text her or something later.'

 **CHUNK.**

'Aaaand, there goes Pyrr-' Before I get to finish my thought, two loud shots blast off from my left, carrying the full weight of Yang along with the concussive force of what's basically enhanced, leg-mounted canons that have enough punch to actually allow _the wearer to alter their course in_ _ **mid-fucking air like Bakugo.**_

Needless to say, ya boi may have taken a tumble.

 **CHUNK.**

"WHAT THE FUCK!" I yell loudly without restraint as I'm sent hurdling by the force of a speeding Yang. Not only am I knocked off of my _own_ platform, but I'm also knocked into an unsuspecting Blake Belladonna, still carrying a maniacally guffawing Yang with me. Due to the considerable force pushing me back combined with my… weight… the poor girl stood no chance.

 **CHUNK.**

Then as a collective group of tumbling regret, we end up dog piled on not only Little Nevicata, but also her _launch plate._

Better break out the fucking potpourri, because all I can smell is ENCROACHING DISASTER!

" _WHY_ ARE YOU ALL PILED ON ME?! GET OFF!" Ten lien to whoever can guess who said that. Now that I think about it, it's honestly a miracle that no one got _impaled by that massive needle of hers!_

 **CHUNK.**

Boy I tell you what, this life sure is dangerous by golly.

"...s-so heavy…" Blake manages to force out, sounding absolutely _crushed._

Get it?

"A-actually, I probably should have thought this through better. Hehe, uhm… oops?" Yang shamefully admits once her evil laughter subsided. Some pranks are better left for when we _aren't_ about to be launched off a cliff into a critter infested forest of pain.

Who would've thunk it?

 **CHUNK.**

And off we go, soaring gracefully through the air like a conjoined mass of people would. Shooting through the air, silently but deadly like a-

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The collective screams of not only the girls, but ya boi himself echoed throughout the cliff-scape, easily overpowering the sound of air rushing past our ears.

Now, given how much weight was situated on that singular plate, it should be obvious that as a group we didn't manage to go quite as far as the other soon-to-be students of Beacon Academy managed on their lonesome. That's fine though, I'm sure that seeing just how 'varied' semblances can get, the technicians calibrated the plates to handle some pretty impressive weights. We probably _would_ have gotten some pretty sick air if we hadn't been _laying down_ on such a compact surface area. Given that such was the case, however, we didn't manage to go very far at all.

In fact, we barely managed to clear the cliff side itself before we plummeted like a fucking boulder directly towards the forest floor.

"AHHH!" Oh, there goes Blake. Goodbye, friend. Hopefully you aren't stuck in the trees forever.

"THIS IS YOUR FAUUULT!" Goodbye, my most trusted ally Weiss. Truly you brought smiles and laughter to all those around you. Be safe in the embrace of the tree branches!

Really, the only thing I have left to do right now is hold onto my stupid ass girlfriend for dear life! Thankfully, it doesn't look like she's going anywhere anytime soon. The leaves and branches rush past us at an astounding pace, I can't even _see_ where our other two passengers are anymore. With the speed we're falling, you'd almost think one of us weighs a lot more than the others we fell with.

…

Seriously though, this is one long ass-

 **CRUNCH.**

"FUUUUUCKING CUUUNT!" Ah look, there goes my back. Goodbye my friend. I clench my eyes shut tight, still reeling from the terrible blow I just took. There's actually no doubt in my mind that if I didn't have a magical fucking force field, I would either be paralyzed or straight up dead.

So that's nice.

"Ya okay there, beach boy?" Something fluffy and most likely yellow asks from between my arms. Oh sweet tones, heal my broken back. Also my spirit, if you could!

I'm _really_ goddamn sassy today, huh?

I manage to crack my eyes open with tremendous effort, and to my joy I'm greeted by the lilac of Yang's eyes. Not to mention the embarrassed smile painted across her face.

"... you know I'm gonna tease you about this forever, right Partner?" I ask with one of the most smug looks I can muster. Thankfully, the pain and _legit panic_ are starting to settle, so I'm able to shine like the cheeky cunt I truly am in my heart.

"Shut up, ya damn landing pad! Who asked you?" She snarks at me, more than ready to defend herself against me. Being me, I immediately give her some back.

"Actually, _you_ did literally a few seconds- Fuck, move!" While I would love nothing more than to give Yellow a piece of snarky paradise, a falling mass of white catches my attention before I can devote it entirely to my craft. A very _loud_ falling mass of white.

A mass of white falling ass first towards us. I only really have time to grip Yang by the sides and roll her out of the line of fire before impact, so that's exactly what I do. I'd rather not have her potentially be hit in the back of the fucking head by one of the heels all these girls seem fond of wearing on the battlefield.

That _might_ fuckin' hurt!

That look of shock on her face, all wide-eyed and drop jawed, was almost worth the poorly prepared impact of a full-grown goddamn woman _directly_ onto my midsection. With the impact came some bulged eyes of my own, along with a mighty 'OOF'. Thankfully, when Leggy here landed, she landed straddling my stomach area, leaving any and _all_ sharp and pointy footwear out of the equation.

Small miracles to be thankful of. Praise Lady Luck!

After not even a second, I manage to gain back my composure… whatever _that_ shit means, and give my brand-new passenger a once over. A disheveled princess meets my gaze, hair a bit of a mess and dress ruffled. As one is after being launched off a cliff, I imagine! Her sharp and pointy stick crafted in cursive somehow managed to land beside us instead of _accidentally impaling me._ Thank fuck. Also accompanying her ruffled appearance… is that a blush I see, little Fiocco? How adorable!

Now, as much as I would like to tease Weiss about how her _silky-smooth legs_ have found a new home _straddling my muscular tum-tum,_ I actually have other shit on my mind. I distinctly remember coming down with _four_ participants in our group of thrill-seekers, not _three._ That begs the question… where da fucc Homegirl at?

With a quick glance upwards, the mystery of the lost passenger was solved immediately.

'Ah yes! Tis very white outside today!' My entire field of vision was completely blanketed by white. No trees, leaves, rocks from the cliffs, nothing. Just a vast expanse of white, and at the _very edges_ of my vision I could make out an extremely clean cut to black. Have I mentioned it's getting closer?

Within seconds my vision was cut off entirely, not a single thing to see. My head was _also_ covered entirely. Thankfully, not much of an impact was felt thanks to my aura protecting me… though that means that the impact likely wouldn't have actually been as 'harmless' as when Weiss landed on me. Downside: my mouth, nose, eyes, even my ears have been covered completely. Upside: whatever this is, it's very soft and pleasant.

Squishy, even!

Moving on, despite my new earmuffs I can still easily make out the raucous, belly-rolling sound of Yangy-poo laughing _at_ me, so it's easy to guess that my position is either deadly to me or one that people would _literally_ kill to be in. Intriguing.

Then, two more clues pop up like some damn weeds. Muffled, through whatever is encompassing me I can hear a _motherfucking conversation_ happening. **On top of me.**

"Y-you? Why'd it have to be you?!"

"My thoughts exactly…"

Such a depressing conversation… I guess _my fucking body_ isn't really a good place to hold a 'heart to heart' discussion after all. Imagine that.

All jokes aside though, the mystery of what's on my face has been solved, and I'm now presented with a choice. There's now _no_ doubt in my mind that I'm currently **wearing** an unsuspecting Blake Belladonna like a fucking face warmer… so what am I gonna do about it?

Am I gonna move her off of my face like any sane individual would?

 _Or….._ shall I seize the opportunity?

…

There is truly only one option. How many times in my life will I _ever_ be presented with an opportunity to make my girlfriend laugh _this_ hard?!

TO TEMPT FATE, IS WHAT THE KING CHOOSES!

Without a word, I reach up with both of my hands. Raising higher and higher, I wait until both are about level with my face, then I strike! Grabbing a good handful of Blake's thighs, I make sure they stay in place despite as I go in for the kill. The jump and squeak of utter surprise don't stray me from my path, not even a bit. In swift motions, I open my mouth, and drag my tongue across the crotch of the expanse of voluptuous 'opportunity' covering my face.

After that, several things happened in rapid succession. I remain confident in my decision.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Beacon Cliff - Ozpin POV µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

"Ozpin, do you really intend to let a stunt like that fly?!" Glynda roars in rightfully placed confusion. While I _do_ admit that Miss Xiao Long's… 'alternative' to using her launch pad was a bit of a stretch, I honestly see no harm in it. Seeing no flaw in this route of comeback, I tell her just as much.

"Dear Glynda, did you not hear what I told her? There was no ruling against leaving her launch pad before it activated, so there is nothing to foul. While I do admit that she _surprised_ me with her choice of what to do with my say so, I see her line of thought as a good thing." I announce with grace and precision, gaining her curiosity and subsiding her anger once more, like so many times before.

"And what exactly do you mean by that, Professor?"

"What I mean, is that she thought outside of the box. You know just how dangerous our line of work can be, I'm sure. With the danger constantly increasing, we as a people are in need of young minds that can think in a roundabout manner. We need Huntsman and Huntresses that can think of ways to use the power they will learn to master at this academy in ways that the Hunters in current times would _never_ think of or realize, much less attempt." I answer, not even bothering to look at my companion in conversation. Instead, I focus on the forest, the very height of trees that billow in the winds. Very rarely do I get a chance to 'relax', as I would consider I'm doing now.

Very rarely, indeed.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Emerald Forest - Sully's POV µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

"BLAKE STOP IT!" I shout out in a panic, just before I get crunched by the heel once again slamming into my chest.

 **CRUNCH.**

"STOP?! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU JUST DID THAT!" Blake shouts right back at me, brimming with feminine fury. Rightfully so, but that doesn't mean I really _enjoy_ getting stomped on by Blake's heels. Speaking of, that leg is being raised up high once more!

 **CRUNCH.**

"YANG HELP! BLAKE'S ANGRY!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAhahahaha!" Hysterical laughter is all that I can really make out from where I threw her. I'm honestly a bit worried she might suffocate herself. Standing next to her is a disturbed, yet _extremely_ red Weiss Schnee.

Needless to say, they both got up with the quickness once I pulled my prank…

 **CRUNCH.**

"SHE'S STRIKING ME!"

Worth it, bitch!

"ONE MORE FOR GOOD MEASURE!" She shouts again, this time raising her leg in a near-perfect _standing split_ for what I assume is maximum punishment. All that I can think is if I should even _try_ dodging…

In all seriousness, it would probably make the situation worse. I've got aura to spare, anyway.

 **CRUNCH.**

"FUCK!" Doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt. As a heavily panting Blake heaves her chest standing over me, I take a moment to think about my next course of action. It actually doesn't take long to come up with a plan, much to my surprise. I guess my experience with these types of situations are really coming in handy!

Well… that and the fact that I planned out contingencies for angry females probably helps. Ya know, just a bit.

"Sooo… ya feel better?" I ask, taking my time to build up to the 'appeasement'. A smart lad would be me!

"Shut… up…" Maybe she's still a little angry? "I'll kill you…"

Or a lot angry, whatever.

"Alright, calm down. I know a sorry isn't going to cut it really, but how about I make it up to you?" Even through the intensity of the glare being thrown my way, I can _still_ see a bit of curiosity poking through. Come on, little fish! **Bite!**

"Speak." She orders me. I can't help but let a smile float to my face as she unknowingly inflates my ego.

'Seems a bit is all I need… FUCK YEAH!'

"They say the way to a woman's heart is through their stomach, and I don't mean to brag, _but_ I'm not a bad cook! How about as an apology I cook you up some… fuck I dunno… some-" Just as I'm about to drop the bomb on this poor unsuspecting woman, she attempts to cut me off.

"I'm not so easy to sway with-" COUNTERED!

"Tuna Casserole?" I finish, one of the most smug smiles in my arsenal currently on my face. I watch with glee as those yellow eyes dilate and damn near glow in their immediate intensity. All traces of anger leave her face, being smoothly replaced with a blank, yet bartering vibe.

"Make me one every week for the next month and you have a deal." She dictates with utmost seriousness. I gotta say, I'm liking her more and more.

Time to bust a move, baby.

Swiftly, I launch myself to my feet with an impressive show of acrobatics and am turned towards the much shorter girl in a matter of seconds. A well-hidden look of surprise flashes on her face, but nothing hides from me. In a ballsy mood, _clearly,_ I decide to shoot in close and steal a quick kiss from her forehead. That's something that actually became one of my signature move for Yang, so it's a winner! Now all I need is an endearing line and I'll be _golden_!

"Whatever you say, Homegirl. My cooking skills are yours to command." And with that, I retreat to a safe distance. Already, I'm fishing in my shorts for my scroll so I can start phase one. Believe it or not, I prepared for this.

"So you're just fine with what just happened?" I hear Blake ask, momentarily managing to tear my eyes away from my app screen to see her addressing a now composed Yang. While she is _technically_ composed, those tear streaks don't hide the near death by laughter she just experienced. She even has the nerve to look confused at what the fuck Blake's talking about, the cheeky cunt. In the blink of an eye, realization slams over Yellow's face.

"Oh, yeah pretty much. It doesn't really bother me, plus I got a good laugh out of it! That's just how he shows affection." I can't tell if I should feel insulted or not… I'm still proud I got away with it, though!

"He acts like that towards _everyone?_ How can you not be worried about that delinquent's actions?" Weiss asks, actually bringing up a good point… surprisingly. She didn't even insult me too much! Maybe she's warming up to us?

"Maybe I should phrase that better… he only acts like that around people he considers friends. I've only ever seen him let loose like that around family and the blacksmith he hangs out with… the fact he warmed up to Blake so quickly is kinda surprising, really. He may be really nice in general, but if he casually messes with you like what just happened, that means you're part of his life now." Holy fuck, this bitch has me down pat! Color me flattered!

But not now. We've got ground to cover.

"Alright, alright ladies! Enough gossip for now, we've got a temple to find!" I declare, holding up my scroll with a strong grip and eyeing the three women I'll be traveling with. "Unless any of you want to try and hold a conversation _on me…_ _ **again…**_ I say let's move out. I'll take lead since I know where I'm going, and I guess you can figure out how you wanna arrange yourselves." With that, I turn around towards a precisely _northern_ direction and begin my march for the first leg of our journey.

Naturally, Weiss had something to say about me taking lead. Not unexpected.

"What exactly makes you think that _you_ get to be the leader? How are you so sure you know where the right direction is?" She Schnee's at me, obvious indignation tinging her voice throughout her complaint. I don't even give the effort to stop my stride for my answer, instead I keep my pace steady without falter.

"You mean _other_ than the fact that I thought ahead and bought a compass app for my scroll in case my partner and I needed one for initiation?" I snark back at her, as a king should. Despite all her verbal struggling, she sure didn't have any trouble following myself _and_ the others, whom didn't waste any time in following my lead through the mess of trees and general forest brush.

"I _suppose_ you may have a point… for now. But don't let it go to your head! A _real_ leader would know how to tell direction by the position of the sun!" Daddy Problems over here is starting to get on my nerves. We're in a thick ass _forest._

 _"_ Yeah, I'm sure they could. But tell me… can _you_ see the damn sun from underneath this fuckin' canopy, snowflake? If you've got x-ray vision, now would be the time to tell the rest of the- wait." While walking through a Grimm filled deathtrap of a forest, one should stay as alert as possible. I finally got that down, at least! I stop _right_ in my tracks, coincidentally in a bit of a clearing, as I spot the first sign of a good time down here.

Claw marks litter the bark of these trees, not only low towards the ground but also high up at about shoulder height for me. That spells only one thing.

Time to hunt, baby!

"There are Grimm here, so everyone be ready." I order confidently, easily slipping into my trained role.

"Whaddya think, Beowolves and probably some Ursai?" Yang asks from my direct right, Ember Celica and Izlazac Sunca deployed and at the ready.

"Exactly right. All evidence points to those, maybe even a turf war or something. Keep your eyes on the brush." I confirm, my knowledge being at least _somewhat_ fleshed out on the topic. I'm no professional, but I know a thing or two.

"Impressive… how can you tell?" Weiss asks, a curious glance being thrown my way at my apparent knowledge. Hope she won't be disappointed, this might be my chance to get a foothold with her.

"I read a book and taught myself the distinct differences between Grimm claw marks. I'm not too shabby for a self-taught guy, if I say so little Nevicata." After giving my piece, a rustle to our direct front catches my attention. From the brush emerges exactly three Beowolves, which start damn near foaming at the mouth once they enter the clearing. A couple growls here, a handful of snarls there, we've all seen it before.

I think I've got one for this!

"Alright everyone keep calm, and don't get jumpy. Friendly fire is fucking stupid, so here's what we're gonna do. Weiss, take left. Yang, you're on right. I'll be taking the middle down. Blake?"

"Yes?" She answers quickly, probably awaiting her part. I'm only too happy to deliver.

"Watch our backs. I have no doubt they'll have one of their buds try and take us out from behind, it's how they ambush. Keep an eye out, and if the fuckers start getting sneaky gut em' like a damn fish! Let's fuck em' up!" I rumble out, actually excited to crush something with my hands again. I know a couple of Beowolves aren't really something to get too excited about, but I just can't help myself.

Having a good bit of distance between us and the Grimm actually managed to work in my favor, despite the close range I want to use on it. Gives me time to build up speed! I start out in a full stride run, one that quickly becomes a full-on sprint. Once I was nearly full speed, I could tell the Beowolf might have legit started panicking. Instead of charging me as others of its species usually would, _this_ particular monster backed up a few steps. That's right bitch, FEAR ME!

Once I was within a few feet of my target, I immediately drop into a roll. After a single rotation, I plant my feet as heavily as I can on the ground and straighten out my body into a standing position, quickly raising one of my feet once more after I felt confident in preparation for the future. I'm only a few feet away from the Beowolf at this point, so my plan seems to be working so far. Still carrying the force of my sprint combined with a sudden roll, I use it to my advantage, clasping my hands over my head I just let gravity do the rest of the work.

A sickening crack echoes throughout the clearing, drowning out the sounds of battle all around me. The sheer force of my blow landing squarely atop the Grimm's head shattered the heavy bone plating and nearly threw the creature to the ground, only for it to barely catch itself with shaky forelimbs. After my savage delivery, I slammed my foot forward in order to distribute my momentum to a point of stopping, and with it I got yet another idea. While the still grounded Beowolf was grasping at it's now smoking head plate, I perform a textbook backflip, striking the monster in the chin with _both_ of my extended feet. This flips the creature onto it's back with ease, where it lay dazed and confused.

Acting quickly before it has a chance to regain its bearings, I leap forward and land a hefty stomp to the creature's neck. A loud crunch followed, but the Beowolf was still twitching… so like any good hunter I twist my foot sharply with all my weight behind it and _break_ the creature like I'm wiping shit off my shoe. Within seconds, the beast starts evaporating and I know my job is done.

Quickly I take a gauge of the field to see how my girls are doing, and find myself impressed. The frost-bitten corpse of Weiss's target accompanies her self-satisfied visage, looking every bit as cocky as earlier. Blake, the cheeky one, is at the tree line looking smug as all hell. At her feet are two quickly decomposing Beowolf, easily the work of her pinpoint kill technique if the placement of her still impaled weapon is any indication. As for Yang…

"Yang, stop shotgun stomping your Beowolf." I tell her, catching her mid-stomp on a scorched, hole riddled pile of meat and fur that I'm sure was once a Grimm. I can actually _feel_ the punishment she unleashed on that poor murderous puppy… spars aren't painless, ya know!

"Why? I'm having fun!" She whines at me, but noticeably she doesn't attempt to stomp it again. Guess she's just feeling whiny then.

"Yes I know dear, but there will be plenty more woodland critters to murder on our way to the temple. Nice job on your target, by the way." As my girly-friend puffs up with pride, I move on to the other two. "Blake, those kills were fucking wicked, nice job! I saw that one hit stab, that's rad." A nod is all she gives me, but you can't hide that smile from he who sees all!

Then, we have Weiss's kill. Before I can even get a word out, she's already spouting some shit.

"Yes, I _know_ my kill was impressive, you don't have to tell me." How about we break that smug smile on her face with some facts?

" _Yeeeeaaah…_ I was _actually_ gonna say that using dust on something as easy as a Beowolf was probably a waste of a valuable battlefield resource, but you can think what you want." I tell her flatly. I'm kinda over her attitude now, but I'm not gonna blow up over something stupid.

"And what makes you think I even asked you?! I was trained by my sister, Winter Schnee, how to fight with grace and elegance! Something I doubt a delinquent like you would have _any_ idea about!" She shouts at me, steam damn near coming out of her ears. In response, I do the most logical thing anyone could possibly do in such a situation after being insulted to my face.

I pull my gun Solaire out of my holster, pull back the hammer, and aim.

The shock on her face is clear as day, but no attempt at an apology is given. I punch the trigger three times in rapid succession, and with a flourish of mechanical shifts Queen now rests in my hand. Without hesitation, I slam my thumb down on the skulled-out button. The electricity released by the three charges is _extremely_ visible, arcing off in mass.

Damn Ursa never stood a chance.

Beyond the sound of electrocution and now gurgling roars, I hear nothing. Neither Yang nor her partner, Blake, moved a muscle to stop me… and I think somewhere deep down, Weiss realized that. That mouth of hers is nearly hitting the floor as it is. I decide to ignore the situation as it is _entirely_ , and instead decide to follow a different course for now.

"You think you _deserve_ to be our leader. Without question. You feel you can do a better job than _anyone_ here. If you wanna be one so bad, then so be it. I'm gonna let you lead us _any damn_ direction you please… but you have to work with your partner in deciding which way we're gonna go. That sound good to you, Miss Navigator?" I grumble out, finally fed up. My little breakdown, however, is _all_ according to plan.

"Y-you…. what?" I see we've made her dumbstruck. The bewildered look she's wearing is pretty fuckin' funny!

"You heard me, so where are we going?" I reinforce, waiting for either an answer or for her to gain her bearings. Seems she finally is starting to shake off her shock now. I watch as Weiss begins to shoot a gaze across the clearing, most likely looking for any sign of the so called 'path' Professor Ozzy mentioned during his speech. With a jerky motion, she shoots her hand up and points in an odd direction, between brush and trees.

"We'll be heading there! Let's go!" She sounds a lot more excited than I thought she ever could, now that she's been named 'Navigator'. Rich chick is easy to please, it seems.

But Blake ain't having that!

"Are you sure about that? What makes you think we should go that way?" She inquires while walking towards her partner, arms _already_ crossed under the swell of her chest in classic sass posture.

I can't help but have the sudden feeling this is going to be a long trip.

A grasp on my shoulder catches my attention, and from my side I can see Yang sidling up to me. Still with an eye on the 'debate' unfolding before us, she asks me her question.

"You sure letting her prance around the forest is such a good idea?" She asks me, skepticism completely _drenching_ her tone as she does. Can't really blame her, I'm not too confident that this'll turn out well either.

"You kidding me? This is a **terrible** fucking idea!" Told ya. "It's a terrible idea, but they both have to learn things. Even if they don't end up teaming with us, they need to learn to work together first and foremost." At this, Yang nods her head silently. I keep my train going in the meantime. "Not everyone has the advantage we have, Yellow. We've been kicking each other's asses ever since _I_ was scrawny!" I can't help but laugh at that… seems like it was so long ago now. "People that have just met can't even _hope_ to have a bond like that right off the bat. That would be something like one in a million odds!"

"You mean _I've_ been kicking your ass ever since you were a scrawny little kid." Hats off to one of the driest jokes she's made yet. And just like back then, she can't help but laugh at her own joke. "You're gonna step in if they get too… _dumb_ with the directions, right?" Yang goes out of her way to catch my gaze for this question, so I'd hazard a guess that she might be worried about this somewhere deep beneath that bombastic personality of hers.

Fuck, join the club.

"Naturally. Hell, who knows? They might even show us up and end up working well together!" I ensure with gusto, legitimate fake-ass hope filling up my heart.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Time Skip - Unknown Clearing µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

They did not, in fact, pleasantly surprise me with a show of impressive team work. They did, however, manage to disappoint not only me, but also _Yang_ of all fuckin' people.

That's a task all by itself.

"That's it! We've gotta be lost! This is _soo_ your fault!"

" _My fault?_ This is your fault! You didn't listen to me when I said we should take a left at the last clearing!"

After following them for a while I more or less managed to finally tune out the constant arguing between them, so points to me I guess. Their 'cooperation', however, managed to lead us to a place I've never even imagined being in a place called the Emerald Forest.

They led us to a clearing, yes… but a clearing in the most literal sense of the word. This little reprieve from the trees and brush is so massive you could probably see it from the air. That's odd enough, but it doesn't stop there. All throughout the expansive clearing there are large patches of earth devoid of grass, weeds, anything. Upturned soil, even sparse patches of mud, and anything else you can think of dominates the ground here. Fuck, there are even depressed areas and uplifted portions in the ground that kind of remind me of… tunnels?

Where have I seen this before? It's strikingly familiar…

"You think it's about time you take the reins back?" Yang asks/complains yet again from beside me. I swear she's just _kept_ her arms crossed and that nonplussed look on her face ever since the fourth argument started. Guess I should fucking cut her a break by now.

"Yeah, I probably should. Shouldn't be too hard to get their attention-"

"YOU'RE A SPOILED BRAT!" Blake roars with malicious contempt, looking ready to start a fight.

"AND YOU'RE A SMUG LITTLE 'HIGHER-THAN-THOU' JERK!" Fuck, Weiss looks about ready to reciprocate that fighting spirit.

By the way, did they just fucking cut me off? NOBODY INTERRUPTS THE KING! This requires punishme-

And within seconds, my mind went blank. In the distance of the clearing, just barely beyond where Blake and Weiss are squabbling, I see movement. Not a Beowolf or Ursai, _no…_ that would be far too simple. Instead, what greets my eyes is the sight of the soil being moved like loose sand from underneath, leaving a massive trail much like the others I spotted earlier.

And whatever is underneath is inching closer to the two currently loudest members of our entourage.

From what I've studied on different types of Grimm I feel like I might know what this thing is. It's not pretty.

Quickly I turn towards my newest second in command and… let her know the plan. I grab her shoulders and hold them tight, staring directly into her lilac eyes as gears turn in my head so I can be _absolutely sure_ she gets every detail.

"Yang, listen to me. We ain't got a whole lotta time, so I'll make this quick. I know you saw the tunnels just like I did… I think I know what made them. It's targeting those idiots over there, so get ready. I need you to go North no matter what happens and get to the temple. Knock down a couple of trees, pillars, the whole goddamn temple if you feel like it… as long as you make some noise my plan might work! If I'm still here, you'll know it. If I'm not… I'm sure you'll know that too." I spit out in rapid fire, mind racing a mile a minute. The look in her eyes is nothing if not confused. She even tries to voice as much.

"Still here… what do you mean go North? You make it sound like you're not coming." I wish I could. Not wanting to lose what little time I have, I make my goodbye short and sweet.

In the form of the biggest fucking smooch I could muster… then I turn and run like lives depended on it.

Cuz ya know, they _do!_

I end up sprinting full tilt towards the two _still-arguing_ numb-fucks standing obliviously in this deathtrap of a clearing. To my horror, I see that I'm completely correct. Massive bone spines breach the ground, tearing through the dirt and sparse grass at a breakneck pace… making a b-line towards the two. Each spine is _easily_ the size of my own _arm,_ making the Grimm behind it sadly just as massive.

It's at this moment that doubt sets upon my heart. A terrifying, _heavy_ feeling takes refuge in my chest… feeling like the entirety of my insides dropped into my stomach.

Even as I get closer and closer to my charges, _fear_ of all things starts to fester in my mind. The reason behind this sudden feeling is quite simple, and for some probably incomprehensible.

For the first time in what feels like forever… I _don't_ have a plan. I don't have a single idea what I'm supposed to do against a Grimm this dangerous. I don't know what a Grimm like this is even _doing_ in the forest next to Beacon Academy. I don't know if the girls will be able to get away, if they'll be okay.

I don't know if _I_ will be okay against this thing.

Once I'm almost there, literal _feet_ away from the two, they finally take notice of me with both showing a confused face. Everything seems slowed, but that's just the massive amount of adrenaline being injected _directly_ into my veins talking. It's at this point the self-deprecation starts. It should have been obvious just what resided here, what with all the clues. The sparseness of the grass, the sheer _volume_ of upturned soil, even the size of the clearing itself were all indicators.

I should have known a mile away that this was Thresher territory.

Finally, after what felt like centuries, I reach the two jaw-dropped women. Instead of planting my feet or trying to reduce my speed, I try my best to use it to my advantage. Once I was within inches of the two, I perform the most textbook of spins I can muster. On the way, I grab up Weiss by the midsection, and give another turn. As soon as I feel I have the right angle, I let go and send her flying directly towards Yang. Two more spins, and Blake is sent flying in a much similar path. Once I regain my balance, I check on my work and can only thank fuck that I have as much muscle as I do. Laying _perfectly_ at Yang's feet, if a little dirty, are two very confused girls. This brings me an urge to smile that I don't even bother attempting to hide.

They'll be fine.

Just as the thought entered my mind, a screech echoed out from behind me, reverberating throughout the clearing. A single, long, mind-crunching sound. The best comparison would be nails on a chalkboard times a thousand… but that doesn't even do the spine-tingling sound justice in the slightest. I barely have enough thought to shoot my hand down to the latch on the Flying Dutchman before my instincts take over and I turn around with every ounce of speed I have. At the sight that greeted me, the latch was released.

Barely meters from me was the gaping mouth of the Grimm known only as a Thresher. Covering every visible inch of flesh around its maw are bone spikes measuring at about an inch per spine. Sparse red markings form some type of pattern or another on what I can see of it's body, but I'm honestly not too worried about that right now. No, what _really_ has my attention is, obviously, it's mouth. Threshers are usually about as wide as two men are tall, and with length to spare. Their mouths just so happen to take up most of their front when opened, giving it just about the same amount of clearance. More than enough space to swallow nearly any person whole with as little trouble as possible.

And in only seconds… that's exactly what it does. Into the belly of the beast, is where I now go.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Chapter 6 µµµµµµµµ END µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 _And that, girls and boys, is a wrap. Lemme know what you think in the comments._

 _Betcha didn't expect for it to go from fucking 0 to 7000 so fast, didya?_

 _Shore out, see ya next time_


	7. Fugu Toxicity

_*Edited as of 2/11/19. Couple of double words in this chapter, but still monumentally better than the first few chapters. This non-bootleg writing program works like a fuckin charm, it seems. How turbo. Enjoy for the seventh time, mai boi.*_

 _Ho ho ho fuckass, Happy Holidays and Merry Chonkmass to everyone reading this. Just in time for cross-continental Yuletide, I'm back with another absolute unit of a chapter that I worked really hard on._

 _If you're a Blakey boi, then you're definitely gonna be happy with this chapter. For the rest of you… there's a giant worm to play with? Is that a feature?_

 _Anyway let's take a peek at the comments from last chapter, because I appreciate not only the people that are new, but the ones that have been with me since my_ _ **very un-edited start.**_

 _Yea._

 _Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch- I appreciate the compliment man! I love writing this shit, but people like you and the others are really the reason I want to_ _ **keep**_ _doing it, ya know? I'm really glad to hear ya like what I'm doing with Sully, too. I'm trying my best to make his character and background flow together as nicely as possible, and it's really encouraging to hear that people think it's working._

 _As a side note, I usually take a bit of a break between chapters that way I can keep my style fresh by reading other people's work, be it fanfiction or published books. I think next time I'll definitely check out Dune, it sounds fucking cool._

 _Also… sorry about taking so long. I apparently have this thing where I_ _ **severely**_ _overestimate the time I have on hand, so if I ever tell you it'll be out at the end of the week, just add another two to that. I'm like maxmoefoe or some shit, I swear. Take it easy homeboy, and enjoy this new chapter!_

 _Fat Future Cat- I'm like a wave of nostalgia… get it?_

 _whynoceolocanth- Glad you're happy with what I'm doing with the characters! And about the big ol' worm… close. Not quite what I did, but I have a feeling you won't be too disappointed with my choice._

 _It's pretty fucking cool if I say so myself, and it gives me another plot point to play with._

 _0-Tengatsu-0- All shalt be answered within this chapter, my friend. Well… except for Neo. We'll have to wait for that one._

 _StahlTheAegis- Don't worry, I'm not so much of a dick to have cliffhangers in_ _ **2**_ _chapters back to back, so you're safe…. for now._

 _Glad ya like my story though, homeslice!_

 _Managed Dragoon- Your puns are weapons to surpass Metal Gear, my man. I'm stoked that you enjoy all the little jokes I make as much as the story itself, I have a lot of fun writing them and more or less laughing at my own jokes._

 _Butter chicken curry is delicious, and you're pretty damn close with that number._

 _…_ _not gonna tell you which direction it's supposed to be. It will forever remain a mystery!_

 _DepressedNinja75- Here's another dose for ya my man! I'm happy you liked it enough to comment. Warms my cold shriveled heart!_

 _Zandaino-Nova-Ari- Thanks! I won't stop my jokes or anything, but the plot is going to remain pretty strong if I have any say._

 _In the end, a lot of new faces and a lot of veterans to the story. I love reading comments and they honestly make my day to see them._

 _So without any more delaying, have at it._

 **Chapter 7 µµµµµµµ Fugu Toxicity µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

The wind, fittingly enough, has started to pick up. The whisper of the wind's cries echoes off the face of the cliffs below… just loud enough to pick up. Relaxing, for myself at least. In a situation as dire as this, the more calming the atmosphere the better.

After all, one of my students was just _eaten alive._ Despite all of my talk at the start of nearly _every_ initiation, I don't particularly enjoy killing children. In all reality, the initiates of Beacon Academy _rarely_ die. There's a reason that Beacon's second and third year students are sent out to the Emerald Forest on a fairly regular basis, and despite the beautiful scenery, it _isn't_ to have a picnic. Even teachers are sent out for some of the more… _persistent_ Grimm.

This brings a _very justified_ question. Why in the hell is a Thresher, an adolescent at that, present in arguably one of the more patrolled areas of the world?

 _And_ how has no one found it until now?

"Ozpin! We need to send in Bartholomew and Peter to dispatch that beast immediately!" My observation partner shouts in a panic. In return, I take a leisurely sip of hot chocolate from my mug. Nearly immediately, I have to obscure the grimace that threatens to rise to my face.

It's cold… and therefore worthless to me.

"I wouldn't be so hasty if I were you, dear Glynda. I firmly believe that everything is handled." I answer with my usual passive precision, granting me a good view of a now flabbergasted Glynda. That surprise was quickly overtaken by the cold, calculating gaze that I've grown so used to.

"Handled, Ozpin? An initiate has just been eaten alive in an effort to save his squad. I believe the term 'handled' was thrown out the window as soon as an Oum-damned _Thresher_ of all things surfaced in the **middle** of the Emerald Forest!" As always, she makes extremely well thought and logical points. The only thing she really lacks during this particular example is _familiarity_ with the subject on hand.

AKA, young Victor Sullivan.

"And have I mentioned how pleased I am that out of _all_ of the young Hunters and Huntresses that are participating in today's initiation, that Mr. Sullivan was the one to get tangled up with the apparent Thresher infestation we seem to have on our hands?" I share in my signature cryptic fashion. Rhetorical, of course.

However, it seems Glynda didn't take a liking to my answer.

"I _believe_ I must have **heard you wrong,** Professor. Care to reiterate that, maybe with a bit _more detail?_ " Let it be known that Glynda, despite being the instructor of the combat course, does _not_ by any means take the safety of her students lightly. Perhaps I should cut out my typical jargon and answer straightly, especially on this matter…

"I'm sure you've heard me perfectly clearly, Glynda. There's a reason I'm pleased by that particular young man facing the Thresher over any of the others." Of _course_ I won't cut my cryptic manner. Are you insane? "Have I ever told you how I met young Victor Sullivan? It's quite the tale."

An intriguing example of luck, at the very least. Seeing the silent curiosity sitting upon my companion's face, I move forward.

"It was the same night on which you found young Ruby Rose, if a bit before your own encounter. I was on a stroll through Vale, as you know I do quite often while classes are closed for break, when a man nearly ran into me yelling about needing help. A fairly _familiar_ face at that. Once he recognized me, he explained the situation of a robbery and more or less ordered _me_ to go help a friend of his while he went to get the police." I take a brief pause to check on Glynda. Seeing her rather _intense_ gaze still attempting to break into my mind, I really have no choice but to continue.

"Being the kind soul that I am, I promptly agreed. When I arrived on the scene, do you know what I saw?" I question her rhetorically. Without waiting for her to respond, I answer my own question. "I witnessed a young man, already having defeated multiple thugs, fighting off an obviously well-trained killer with every ounce of skill he had available. That is what I _witnessed._ Now, do you know what I _saw_?" I ask rhetorically once more.

And just like last time, I answer.

"I saw a young man with so much control over his semblance that he managed to adapt it mid-battle in a life or death situation. I saw a boy with so much raw _potential,_ that I decided on the spot to give him a personal invitation to attend Beacon."

The look on Glynda's face at the moment might have made me break my composure at any other moment with a light chuckle. It's actually eerily similar to the face that blue haired moppet young Sullivan was facing against made when she spotted myself walking onto the scene. Fitting, honestly.

"So in case you've managed to hear me _incorrectly_ once more, dear Glynda, allow me to be more direct. Give him a chance… he may just surprise you." Finally, my piece comes to a close. Surprisingly, so does the conversation. Instead of arguing back, as she loves to do, Glynda instead decides to 'trust my judgment'.

That, of course, being code for watching the cameras with all signs of her worry buried deeply within her heart.

With that matter settled for now, I let my eyes drift back to the source of all of life's negative energy… _cold_ hot chocolate. I can feel my lip wrinkle ever so slightly in disgust at the now offensive drink taking up refuge in my mug as my mind continues to wander to my potential students in the _significantly_ more dangerous forest. A gust of wind rushes past, ruffling my hair and therefore managing to catch my attention for but a fleeting moment. Just before my attention became wrapped up in my thoughts once more, it had enough time to broadcast a single thought to the overhead of my mind.

'Are the winds getting stronger?'

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Emerald Forest µµµµµµµµµµ Weiss POV µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

'What just happened? _WHAT JUST HAPPENED?'_

That one, single question has been plaguing my mind.

Never in _any_ of my day dreams about how initiation would play out did I _ever_ imagine this. Instead of launching off of my pad with grace and elegance, I was instead crushed by **three** people and then flung clumsily to tumble to the forest floor. Then my luck only got worse from there. Not only did I _land_ on the same annoying muscular delinquent that's been on my back since I arrived, but I just _had_ to be straddling him too!

Easily one of the most embarrassing moments I've had to suffer yet…

Then he takes the lead with his, in all honesty, rather impressive forethought. After he showed off his compass, I really couldn't help but seethe for not having thought of such a useful idea myself. Then he reveals his **_self-taught_** tracking skills. It's at this point that I'm _legitimately_ impressed by him. Instead of just being a handsome meat head like I had assumed, he displayed _many_ useful skills… and once the battle broke out, he showed impressive leadership abilities along with it! Even despite knowing nearly _nothing_ about half of his 'squad'!

And the way he fought! I believe it's safe to call it intimidating, to say the least. Not that I'll ever admit it, but I couldn't help but keep an eye on him throughout my own fight out of curiosity. In a way, I'm glad I did, because I got to see him absolutely _outclass_ that Beowolf.

The way he moved was… _ferocious,_ in a word. Despite how fierce his style was, I couldn't stop my admiration for him from growing even more. Even as I was dispatching a Grimm of my own, I couldn't take my eyes off him.

Then he had to go and ridicule my use of dust, that prick!

After this, a lot of events happened very quickly. Not only did he manage to _easily_ kill an Ursai that had snuck up behind me, but he _also_ gave me the role of leader. At least, he gave it to me with a bit of a catch. And what a catch it was. I got to experience first-hand just how difficult working with my own partner was, and in front of someone that had such immediate success at the role I was now playing, no less. Nothing but arguments and snide remarks from _both_ sides of the 'leadership co-op' right up until the end. Truly, to call it an embarrassing experience would be immensely underwhelming.

Then… he saved not only me, but my partner as well.

While we were ' _busy'_ with each other, I didn't even think to stay vigilant of my surroundings. From the evidence, I doubt Blake remembered either. In all honesty, I had _no_ idea we were in danger _at all_ until everything was said and done. That Sullivan just ran over and _threw us across an entire clearing_ to get us out of harm's way, despite the danger to himself. What I… what _we_ saw when we looked back… I couldn't tell you what that monster was. It swam through the ground like water, not impeded in the slightest. That sound it made was absolutely _haunting._ In my mind, I was entirely sure that this idiot had no idea what he was getting himself into; that he was in over his head in the most extreme situation imaginable.

But as I looked upon this man… I didn't see fear. Not even after the screech that came from the Grimm did he ever drop that smile of his.

And now he's dead.

So invested in my own thoughts, I can barely even recognize the _painfully_ tight grip on my wrist as it drags me through the forest, forcing me to run along with it. Dragging me as it had ever since we witnessed Victor's death. The black blur being pulled alongside me is nearly unrecognizable to me. Although my partner isn't exactly the picture of a tanned model, I never remembered her looking so… pale. Even with that somewhat worrying detail in mind, I can't for the life of me avert my eyes from the golden wall in front of us. Waving ever so slightly in the wind of our speed, I'm honestly tempted to say it's on fire. The peculiar shimmer I see engulfing it… that's impossible. Either way, I'm still locked in my own mind at the moment. What's around me doesn't quite matter.

That smile…

A cacophony of guttural growls sounds off, barely catching my attention. The noise, however, isn't what cracks the shell of my internalization. Instead, it's the sudden and _jarring_ stop we've come to that has it. Both myself and the blur of darkness beside me are tossed into the golden wall in front of us by our own poorly managed speed, and it's with barely intact focus that I realize the grip on my wrist is gone.

The wall did not move, despite our considerable force.

Blake has fallen to her knees beside me, but I can't fault her. My own knees can hardly support me as it is. I can just barely recognize the wall of gold getting further and further away, the broiling river of flames following closely behind like a peculiar halo. At a point, it stopped in its tracks. In that moment, the clouds invading my mind were blown away with ease. Countless deafening blasts fill the area as the golden flame, now recognized as Yang, proceeds to **ruin** the two Ursai that block our path. As she flattens these monsters, I manage to recognize that she is _in fact_ wreathed in fire, almost as golden as her locks. With each fury filled punch, each enraged kick, a column of fire follows in short order, blasting the creature in the exact same spot as the blow before it.

Needless to say, the two Grimm were nothing more than smoldering craters of fur in no time at all. The gun enhanced stomps to their already-dissolving corpses just cements their death even further.

Eventually, everything goes quiet. As I watch, the cloak of fire recedes back into her. With nothing more than steam to indicate what just occurred, she turns around with a flourish of her long hair. Her fists are still clenched tightly, and from what I can see her shoulders are shaking. The look on her face is anything _but_ peaceful. Her brows are furrowed, and her breaths come heavy. Also…

Were her eyes always red? I could have sworn they were purple.

To my side, I watch as my partner rises up to her feet on shaking legs. Her face is still pale as can be, and now that I can think clearly her eyes are opened wide in shock. For all I know, they might've been that way since the clearing. Turning my gaze back to Yang, I can't help but ask the one question that I haven't been able to get out of my mind.

"W-what just happened?" I tumble over my own words, in a fervor to get them out. To make them be heard.

I was ignored.

"Sully said to go ahead to the temple. With all that ground we covered, we should be pretty close by now. He'll meet us there." Yang announces sharply, carefully grinding out each syllable.

'Meet us there…?' My wondering was cut short by a huff of breath from Blake, quickly followed by a stomp of rage into the ground and a flail of her arms to the side.

"Meet us there? You saw him get eaten just like we did. There's _no way_ someone can survive something like that!" Her outburst is cut short by herself. Instead of continuing her tangent, all she manages is to utter a single sentence under her breath, staring down at the ground all the while.

" _He's dead and it's my fault._ "

…

You're wrong. If it's anyone's fault for that man's death, the blame rests squarely on my shoulders. The shoulders of this great _leader._

In the blink of an eye, Yang is directly in front of Blake with her fist buried deeply into her stomach. Noticeably, no blast from her weapon followed… but that doesn't stop those red eyes of hers from drilling a hole through Blake's skull. In response, the black and white wearing girl is understandably doubled over in surprise, if not a good amount of pain at the unexpected blow. Then, the blonde struck once more. Raising her opposing hand high into the air, she rockets her hand down with quite some effort if the grunt that follows is any indication. A sickening crack follows the connection of Yang's fist and Blake's head, filling the area with its noise, and in an instant the 'victim' is laid sprawled out face-down in the dirt. Above her stands the blonde, _visibly_ seething at my partner with deeply furrowed brows and a tight expression. What she says next really puts a few things in context… as well as _perspective_ for me about this situation.

"Don't _you_ tell _me_ **anything** about Sully! You have _no idea_ what that guy is capable of! _You_ weren't there when some kid was dragged into my home spewing nothing but blood! _You_ weren't there when I had to pick bullets out of that kids FUCKING chest! And _you_ weren't there when his cheeky ass got up only _hours_ later. So don't tell me he's dead… you don't know him like I do."

The silence that follows is _truly_ deafening, at least in my own mind. All the while, I can't help but fall prey to the urge to… to say _something._ **Anything,** really.

"I-" Sadly, my attempt to speak seemed to be too soon, as I was cut off by the tightness in my throat. You could say a cat has my tongue at the moment, I suppose. My attempt _did,_ however, seem to gain the attention of a still _very_ unhappy Blonde. In what seemed to be less than a second, her eyes flick over and pierce my own, giving me nothing but a sense of… shame.

I should hurry and say something, even if I'm not ready to speak. She's stalking over to me with wide strides even as I think to myself. I can only imagine she'll do the same to me as she has Blake.

"I'm- we… I'm sorry…" I manage to force out with great difficulty, choked up by the intense heat at the back of my throat. I know this feeling quite well, but I can't quite recall experiencing it quite as publicly as I am now. A sour tingling _just_ behind my cheeks, an almost choking sensation in my throat, and unbearable heat swathed over my face. Luckily… I guess… this gets Yang to stop her rush towards me mid stride, almost like a statue. The look on her face hasn't changed a bit, though.

I force myself to continue.

"I-if I hadn't be-en so… _so_ oblivious, none of this would have happened! I'm… so sorry… and I wish with all my heart that you're right." I finish shakily, barely able to hold any semblance of my usual tone. The uncomfortable heat building up in my eyes is distracting me from that, to say the least. I honestly wonder why I'm having this kind of reaction… but I'm stumped on this delinquent, it seems.

A charismatic thug, of all people…

How quaint.

My words regardless seem to have another effect on the Blonde before me. In the blink of an eye, _her_ eyes are back to the lilac that I remembered… those angry red eyes now nothing more than a memory. Still completely frozen in motion, it's easy to take notice of the shaking.

That sheen pooling just below her eyes… I suppose I'm not the only one after all.

While the moment seemed to last an eternity in my eyes, it was most likely only seconds that passed. Before I can even gather my thoughts, the girl is in motion once more. Almost as if she had a specific direction in mind this entire time, she turned smoothly and walked with measured steps on her way out of the clearing, now with a rather obvious lock on her emotions. What she says next, however, makes it apparent that she's not done with myself and Blake, now resting on her hands and knees most likely with a mind to get to her feet.

"Then we'll go find the temple and get those stupid relics. Come on, we've wasted enough time and I wanna get there as soon as possible." She announces without a single alteration to her stride. Once again, I can't help but voice my mind… as per usual.

"Wait! You- you said he'd meet us there, right? So… that means he has a plan to kill that Grimm right?" I ask with a fervor, hopeful even despite myself. The query makes Yang stop dead, something I seem to have a knack for making happen, but only for a second before she continues on her path. Her answer seemed to barely reach me, even on the coattails of the wind.

"A plan was basically the only thing he _didn't_ say anything about…" After that, her answer trailed off into a whisper. A pretty good part of me honestly doubts she was talking to _me._

I'm just not sure why that bothers me so much.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Thresher µµµµµµµµµµ Sully POV µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Play - Cohen is Lurking**

I thought I knew how it felt to fear.

Through some of my most dangerous and… _other-worldly_ encounters, I thought I had a pretty good idea of how fear **really** gripped me. I could have _sworn_ that whatever I could have possibly felt in this moment would at least be familiar.

Seeing my best friend… my _father figure_ get gunned down in front of me. Receiving the same fate from the _same_ criminal. Bleeding out on the pavement…

You'd think the touch of death himself would compare. Hell, you'd think being confronted by fucking _Raven Branwen_ would compare! At that, meeting a _GOD_ , even in a dream, should outclass this completely!

As I lay here, encased in the innards of a monster on all sides, above and below… I can safely say I was wrong. This crushing feeling of solitude, _desperation_ shrouds me completely. A deep well of heaviness has replaced my heart, making me feel as if I might collapse in on myself at any second from the terrible density of my fear.

One of the less appealing things plaguing me right now, only adding to my living nightmare would be the slime I'm completely submerged in. That I've _been_ submerged in for what feels like much too long.

My lungs are burning. My chest feels like it's convulsing… in fact _every fucking muscle_ in my body feels the same. Like I'm being crushed on all sides, but I might just be getting weak from my lack of breath. I might pass out at this rate… my head is so light. Once I was swallowed every ounce of blood I had dropped straight to my stomach.

My struggling has long since stopped in direct timing with my panic subsiding, leaving only the feeling of suffocation to give me company in the dark.

I'm… is this where I'm going to die?

 _"_ _Imma need you to stay awake, alright kiddo?"_

In a flash, my eyes are open once more. Try as I might to look around, all that greets me is darkness. What else would there be?

Even so, the voice that echoed in my head leaves my drowning brain with only one, _singular_ thought.

Qrow?

Not even a second passed before my mind was assaulted by yet another blast from the past.

 _"_ _That's a pretty strong punch ya got there, Sully! How about I show you what a REAL Hunstman can do?"_

Tai… I remember. He was helping me put more power into my hits.

 _"_ _Everyone gets one. But you're interesting…"_

Ah, even the emotionally disabled greet me in my death. Fucking epic.

 _"_ _YOHOHO! At least your son has more respect than you, shitty Qrow! What's your name there, son?"_

Even off brand Brook? Grandpa Garrett… that cool old man…

 _"_ _I'll forgive you… if you teach me how to kick ass on Ninja Fighter 6."_

No regrets on Ruby really. Her cursing is a pretty good mark to leave on the world, I'd say.

 _"_ _My hands were inside you!"_

... Is that really what gets pulled up for Yang? I mean, it suits her… but _really_?

 _"_ _I don't usually do this, but consider this a personal invitation to attend Beacon from me. Hold it over the heads of your peers if they get too… overbearing."_

Fuckin' Ozzy too…

 _"_ _What are the two of ya doing out here alone? I'm sure yer' families are worried about ya."_

… I miss Joe.

 _"_ _Ya know, even if you've got a stick up your ass most the time… you're pretty much my brother. We're in this together!"_

... stop.

My lungs are burning. My blood is boiling. My mind is racing. Even in complete darkness, vast white spots are engulfing my vision.

I think I might be drowning.

I can't let myself die here.

Too many people have trusted me…. _wasted_ their time on me for this to be the end. For me to fail.

With all the strength I can muster, I flex my arm and with it, my power. As water comes rushing out of the Dutchman, without warning there is light in the darkness. Neon green lights up the world around me, showing me the disgusting reality of the situation I'm currently in. To my right I find a glow of fiery orange, dancing off the shining blackness with ease, and radiating squarely from my shoulder. As lucky as I am to not be blind anymore, I can't for the life of me focus on that.

No time for that.

The water rushes around me, engulfing not only me but as much of the area as possible. With nothing but a thought, it expands the walls of the beast I'm trapped in, giving me just enough room to do my deed.

That _deed_ being desperately clawing my way upwards… or at least what I perceive as up.

The burning in my lungs grows ever more intense as I scurry along, the spots filling my vision grow to cover more of what I see. My arms feel weak, but I can't stop now.

Not yet.

After what feels like an eternity more snaking my way along the insides of this _goddamn Grimm…_ something amazing happens. As I lunge once more along the path upwards for what feels like the millionth time, I don't expect anything beyond what I've already been subjected to. However, the feeling of being submerged does not greet me.

Instead, I find myself above… in air.

Without a second to spare, I greedily breath in and fill my lungs with as much air as I can manage, successfully chasing away whatever burning was in my lungs to begin with. Gradually the spots obscuring my vision also disappear, leaving me with nothing but the neon glow and the sight of the coal-black walls around me. With the air also came ease to my heart. Instead of hearing its beat thundering inside my head, I hear nothing but my own heaving breaths.

After a handful of seconds… probably more along the lines of minutes if I'm honest, I do my best to get my breathing back under control. No need to completely use up whatever sparse pocket of air I might have found by sheer luck so soon.

Actually… with the return of my supply of air _also_ came the return of my more rational thought. With the return of that… sadly comes the realization of what this pocket of air most likely _really_ is.

Probably a testament to my mind, but it really takes all of my concentration to not willingly recognize this saving grace as a Grimm burp.

Fucking damn it.

Let's uh… try not to focus on that. Ever. Plan time?

I fucking hope so.

Taking a look around me, I can safely say that formulating a plan would probably be the correct thing to do. With nothing but Grimm flesh surrounding me, I have nothing _but_ time right now.

Off the bat, my more impulsive side gives me the urge to drill my way out in whatever way possible… but thankfully I'm a bit smarter than that. With my now clear mind I can safely say that would lead to my death without a doubt. Nearly as soon as I was eaten, I felt large jolts shoot through the walls of my current containment. Those particular jolts, most likely, was the feeling of this Thresher's movement. Those jolts _also_ didn't last very long at all, at least from what I can remember in my panicked state. As I sit here now, there's been nearly no movement at all. Logically, that can mean only one thing.

We're pretty fucking deep underground, so if I get out of here I'll either suffocate or be crushed by the earth.

Both things I'd like to avoid, in all honesty, so I think we won't be doing that just yet.

As I sit here in the stomach of a Grimm, crouched down for a lack of space, I can honestly say I really only have one choice. I'll have to wait for the jolts to start again… and hope I get lucky. It's really the only indicator that the Thresher is moving, and their movements are very comparable to a whale. Well, more in only _one_ way, but it serves its purpose for an analogy. Whales sometimes manage to catapult themselves out of the water, and like all things they come down with a splash. Threshers pretty much do the same thing but only ever in the pursuit of food by the sense of sound. Make a big enough sound, and these motherfuckers make a B-line for you no matter the situation. Without sound though?

They won't move an inch.

With that bit of knowledge in mind, I have the bones of my plan ready to go. Once the first big jolt hits me, I should also quickly be hit with that signature feeling of falling. That's when I strike.

The real question is… what the fuck can I do?

Sitting here, surrounded by blackened walls, I'm actually hard pressed to come up with a reliable idea that'll get me out of this fuckin' nightmare. Anything I think of comes with drawbacks, and the majority just won't work at all.

With no solution in sight, I feel the best action is to calm myself just a bit. Maybe focusing on my surroundings could help somehow? I honestly doubt it can hurt. The glossy black walls of the Grimm are a given at this point, but the way the green and red lights bounce off of them are still something to get used to. The only real comparison here would be some kind of fucked up galactic mirror house… ya know, the kind that wants to **break your mind and soul.**

A place for the whole family, really.

Beyond that, all I feel is smelly and slimy. Well… I guess that's a lie now that I really focus on it. Pooling around my shins is sea water, still as fresh as the day I gathered it. For a while, I just watch. The neon green light reflects back at me off of the writhing mass of water. With no command in mind, the motion rises and falls with the intensity of my thoughts.

And to think, the sheer _amount_ of this I with me is literally insane.

Oh my, are those bells I hear, going off in my mind?!

I do believe I have a plan now, babe.

Without so much as a shift, gallons upon gallons of water rush out of my big ass soup thermos, coiling at my shins for only a moment before speeding off towards their new destination.

Well, _destinations,_ I should say.

Even ahead of me, I can see the tendrils of water groping around in the near blinding darkness, following what paths they can find and quickly spreading all the further. They're even drilling miniscule _new_ paths through the walls of flesh at my behest, leaving behind holes the size of pinpricks. That, however, is enough.

Now, I just gotta wait for that bridge to collapse and I'll be golden. If _that_ of all things doesn't kick this fuckin' Grimm into motion, I guess I'll die here.

…

I'm hungry. What should I do, just plan what I want for dinner?

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Emerald Forest µµµµµµµµµµµµ Blake POV µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Before the three of us sits a decaying bit of architecture. Nothing really out of the ordinary, besides the fact that I'm surprised the columns are still standing. Not to mention the oddity of _only_ this little stone gazebo being in the middle of all these tall trees and bushes. Pedestals almost _litter_ the stone circle, harboring on top of them something I can't quite be bothered to make out just yet.

As my mind goes on, I'm actually brought out of my thoughts by the uncharacteristically silent Yang. As my gaze takes her in, I can't help but feel my thoughts shift to the most recent topic to affect my life.

One Victor Sullivan. Thankfully, my thoughts are cut before I can even start.

"Think that's it?" Asks Yang. Thankfully this was answered by Weiss. I don't think I have it in me right now to answer her.

"If I was forced to guess, I'd say yes." That voice of hers is much more subdued than when we first arrived in this forest.

Whatever could have caused that, I wonder?

Without any further prompt, my two companions start their way down the slight hill to the ruins. With no other logical choice available to me, I follow. Silence once again envelopes our group, and once _again_ I find my mind drifting.

I don't blame Yang for reacting like she did. Sure, it might have been annoying and hurt just a bit, but she _did_ just see her boyfriend die after all. I think I can let a punch or two slide by in the face of such a loss…

Even _if_ I was right.

I _also_ can't really blame her for being delusional, honestly. If she wants to believe that he's still alive after _that_ … well it's not really up to me to burst that bubble anytime soon. If I tried, I'd get punched again. She'll accept it eventually. She'll have to.

There's no way he's making it out of there. Even if by some miracle he managed to avoid getting torn to shreds, he'll suffocate before finding a way out of that thing. I've seen many a comrade get taken down by that type of Grimm, and as far as I can remember _that_ particular Thresher was the biggest I've seen by far.

I can definitely say that I _hope_ he can pull off that miracle. I just can't bring myself to put too much stock into the thought of it.

"So which of them should we get?" I'm snapped out of my own mind by the Schnee, apparently. So entranced I was by my thoughts that I'd more or less operated on auto-pilot, stopping alongside the others in the stone gazebo as they go about inspecting the so called 'relics'. I cast a quick cursory glance around, and find myself just _barely_ amused at what the Headmaster considers relics.

Chess pieces, of all things.

The Schnee in question was keeping herself somewhat distracted by inspecting a rather fancy statuette of a golden bishop. Yang herself seems to have been distracted by a different piece.

"Well… how about a cute horsey?" She asks with a mischievous smile and a pair of knight pieces in her hands, holding them aloft like trophies.

… which I suppose technically they _are._

"I'm fine with knights, but why them in particular? You had your eyes on them as soon as we arrived." Questioned the heiress, curiosity frankly painted across her face. As soon as the words were uttered, the smile sported by the blonde of our group grew even _bigger,_ accompanied by a fair amount of amusement seeping through as well.

"Oh, it's because Sully's afraid of horses."

…

The silence is _truly_ deafening now.

It honestly feels like _actual_ minutes before Weiss… and also _myself_ can really process that new information and file it away. So… did she just tell us that massive guy is afraid of **horses**? Of all things?

"Really?" Surprisingly, I'm not the only one to voice those exact words. Accompanying my voice is also the voice of Weiss, said in the same tone of muted disbelief as my own. At least I'm not the _only_ one shocked by that little nugget of gold.

It should also be noted that the grin on Yang's face has reached Cheshire proportions.

"Yep! I still remember the first time I was with him when he saw a horse. He got super pale in the face, made a 180, and just walked right back the way we came. When I asked him about it, he just said something along the lines of 'They're creatures of evil, naive one' and kept walking! I have to stop myself from laughing every time I even think about it!"

Well, I don't know if I'd call it hilarious. It definitely is… _something_ though.

Thankfully, hardly even a second passes before our attention is collectively drawn away from the 'topic' at hand. Not too far off in the distance a shrill, girlish scream sounded off. Without even missing a beat, the blonde of our entourage addresses the fact.

"Did you hear that? Some girl is in trouble!" She announces, for some reason getting into a 'ready' stance.

… I'm honestly not sure what she hopes to accomplish from such a distance like this, but she's obviously excited about it.

"Should we… go after it?" Voices Weiss, looking between Yang and myself for an answer. Initially, I would have hands down voted for us to stay here and wait for others to make it here. I'm not really in a _charitable_ mood right now, to be perfectly frank. However, a specific development only seconds after her question not _only_ makes my answer unnecessary, but catches all **three** of our attentions for a good few seconds.

Not long after the first, a second scream sounded off throughout the forest… distinctly less shrill than the first. The _sound_ of the shout, however, wasn't the important bit really. No, the **real** 'interesting' bit of info I managed to gather is that it's been getting closer to us.

At an extremely fast pace, at that.

"Actually… I think it's coming to **us.** " Guess I decided to share with the class, too. Oops. This gets Yang's attention drawn to me, while Weiss still has her own focused on the direction of the voice.

"Coming to us?" This was answered instantaneously.

Not by me. That would be too normal. Instead, all three of us are greeted to the sight of a white armored blur flying in from over the canopy of trees. Well, flying is a bit of a strong word, _falling_ would definitely be truer to the sight. In fact, at the angle this person is falling, they only _just_ cleared the trees.

Unsurprisingly, we can only watch as whoever this is continues falling unobstructed towards the ground into what likely would've been a pretty painful impact.

Note: Would've.

Instead, just seconds after the person cleared the tree line, a startlingly fast red blur explodes into the area making a B-line towards the armored assurance that gravity is still up and running. Following that, something I _swear_ that I've heard before somewhere today.

"JAAAAUUUUNE!"

I can really only assume that the red blur is the one desperately yelling this. And that Jaune is the one falling right now.

Poor guy.

While initially the distance between those two was great, it closed in fast. Same with the distance between Jaune and the ground. Luckily enough for him, though, I'm pretty sure the Blur was faster. Only inches away from the ground, Jaune was tackled out of his nearly completed fall by the speeding mass of red, sending them both tumbling across the clearing quite loudly with more than a few curses. Conveniently enough, they stopped only a few feet directly in front of us, revealing not just Jaune, but also that kid from earlier that I'm pretty sure is Ruby.

In a compromising, _straddling_ situation. How nostalgic.

After a loud snort from Yang, they seem to have at least gained their bearings and _noticed_ the situation.

"Uhm…. J-Jaune, do you think you could maybestopridingmeplease?!" A cherry faced Ruby strung together, clearly uncomfortable… though maybe only with the fact that we're all watching her right now, if the eyes flicking over towards us means anything.

Adorable.

"Oh. Uh, sorry there Ruby…" Jaune mutters as he 'De-Straddles' the poor girl, only stopping to help her up as well. Even with most of my attention currently on whatever _that_ is, I see out of the corner of my eyes that Yang takes a couple steps towards them, clearly about to greet them.

Only to be stopped. _This is starting to become a trend and I don't like it._

Before she can take a single step more, a bellowing screech brings all of our attention to the skies where something that fills us with nothing but hope awaits us!

Kidding! Let's see, massive, black, feathered, bone-masked, red-eyed, and flying.

A Nevermore. Fuck.

Flying high above the tree line, but quite obviously coming for _us,_ is the current object of my disdain. An absolutely massive Nevermore holds all of our attentions… except for the one brawler of the group. Instead, I could clearly see her actively trying to burn a hole through the girl in red. Without missing a beat, she voices her question.

"Oh, dear sister?"

"Yes, Yang?"

"Did you and Jaune just fly into the clearing and lead a massive Nevermore here to us?"

"Uh… I c-can't be too sure, my lovely sister... when did you say this was?" This lie is absolutely _palpable._ Unsurprisingly, Yang saw through the shit just like I have.

"Ruby I swear TO-"

"ALRIGHT IT'S TRUE! I may or may not have knocked down it's nest earlier… sorry?"

The damn bird is getting really close.

"Ruby." That was a statement of disappointment if I've _ever_ heard it.

"I SAID I WAS SORRY! What do you want from me?!"

The Nevermore is here now.

"What do you _mean_ you 'knocked down it's nest' Ruby?!"

"Well, I didn't think I was gonna find a damn partner, so I-" Surprisingly enough, she was cut off by **Weiss** of all people losing her temper.

At least _someone_ is on the same page as me…

"ARGUE ABOUT IT LATER! I. DON'T. **CARE!** " She shouts at the two, easily knocking them out of their little… match. Painted across both of their faces is nothing short of pure embarrassment as they cow at the sight of the seething heiress. At least they _know_ they were being ridiculous, that's an upside right? Yet another bellowing screech from above brings my attention once more the skies, more specifically the Nevermore that not _only_ has finally reached the air above the clearing, but _also_ has taken to… circling us?

…

That's… _not_ good.

Thankfully, my attention is drawn away from what is surely a sign of our impending doom and towards the fact that to my left, _all_ the way across the clearing, a good handful of trees have just decided to fall down and not be trees anymore. The culprit?

A single Ursa. Small game, really… but still something to take note of. Another rather important piece of info to remember might be the panicked flailing, perhaps the enraged growls as well. Why, I'd even say it looks _'fierce'_ , in a word. I can see Weiss ready her rapier, probably more than willing to destroy this poor Grimm in an effort to get her still lingering annoyance out of her system.

Well, until the damn thing had it's back blown out by an intense blast of pink. Following this, a mighty battle cry that made me shake in my boots.

"YEEEEEHAAAW!" Kidding. Kinda cute in a way I guess, but not what I'd call fearsome. As the towering Ursa fell face forward, I honestly couldn't tell if it was dead or not. To be honest, it's insides have a good chance of being liquefied by the concussive force behind a blast like that, even if it doesn't show much gore on the outside. With a mighty thump that at the very _least_ shook the ground, it lands. Off it's back rolls forth a blur of orange and pink that I can't quite make out. Until she straightens up after the roll, at least.

Cause of death: A young ginger haired girl that I vaguely remember seeing at Beacon. Without any time to waste, she says what I assume are her main concerns at the moment.

"Aww…. it's broken." I can practically _hear_ the frowny face in her voice as she blurs towards the now _very still_ beast, finding a perch on top of the Grimm's head as she proceeds to start cooing at it.

Ah, I see. She's insane.

While she's busy doing… that, someone takes a bit of a clumsy hop over the hind leg of her kill only to take a breather resting on the arm of the Grimm, in a pretty obvious bid to catch his breath. What I can only assume is her partner is a rather tired looking young man with a lock of pink hair and green clothes… but that's all I can really see from this distance.

"Nora. Please… don't ever do that again." The poor guy. I have a distinct feeling that he's dealt with whatever this is before. Right as he finished his sentence, however, his companion was once more gone, having rushed over to the ruins to admire the 'relics' with such an overwhelming _energy,_ that I can't help but just kinda… ignore it happened?

Whatever.

After only a second or two of admiring the golden rook piece, she snatches it up with a fast hand. What follows next may or may not have caused my brain to short-circuit. Holding up the piece like a 1st place trophy, she then does what can loosely be called a dance with the damn relic on top of her head before her partner gets fed up.

"NOOOOORAA!" Her partner cries from across the clearing in obvious annoyance, already dragging himself over to us with all the urgency of a diseased sloth, to be frank. Thankfully this snaps Nora out of her little… _episode_ quite easily and thrusts her back into the real world.

"Hurry up already, Ren! You're always such a slowpoke!" The bubbly teasing aside, she goes to meet him halfway. Almost as soon as she begins her short journey my mind is turning gears. Working overtime on my next move; my next _observation,_ even. Slowly, almost mechanically, I turn to face my two dumbfounded companions with crossed arms in preparation for my next move. With every _ounce_ of analytical thinking I have present in my brain, I managed to concoct an observation so powerful and deep that I'm not sure if I'll **ever** match it again.

"Did she just ride in on an Ursa?" I say without restraint.

…

 _Masterpiece._

"I-" Was all Yang managed to get out before, _once again,_ our attentions were drawn to the edge of the clearing where trees were being knocked over with frightful ease. The foliage casualties land with massive ground shaking thuds on the earth, some of which I can even feel from here. The mastermind behind those casualties?

A huge. MASSIVE. Deathstalker.

I honestly have to repress a shudder down my spine at the sight of such a Grimm. Filthy, nasty, and disgusting are the only other descriptive words that come to mind.

Behind it is a trail of true forest destruction, nothing but uprooted and splintered wood. In _front_ of it however, is the ever famous Pyrrha Nikos, the champion. Booking her way out of the forest at quite an impressive speed, she manages to not only dodge a mighty swing of the Deathstalker's claw, but jump _through_ the gap in the claw in an equally impressive display of acrobatics. As soon as she catches sight of our group of misfits, she only calls out one thing before changing her path to head directly towards us.

"JAUNE!"

Ya know, I feel like I should really be surprised… but I find myself acclimated at this point.

"Did she just run _all_ the way here with a _Deathstalker_ on her tail?" I question once more as Nora and her partner Ren finally join with the rest of us at the ruins, the later still heaving for breath.

Maybe I'm _not_ acclimated just yet. There's a good chance my brain is still trying to catch up.

"I. Have. HAD IT! Can everyone just wait like TWO seconds before they bring another massive Grimm to the party?!" Yells a red eyed Yang after a brief burst of… very _familiar_ fire. As much as I'm not proud to admit it… those flames proved to make me pretty uncomfortable. Even to the point that I nearly started edging away unconsciously. A quick glance to my partner proves that she's just as nervous as I am, she's positively _pale_ in the face at the moment.

Naturally, no one else in our small group pay any mind to her. Also, as if to punctuate the delicate silence we find ourselves in, Pyrrha ended up getting punted across the entirety of the clearing to rest directly at our feet. Unnervingly still, but intact I guess.

"Perfect." I say monotonously, busy watching the Deathstalker sidle from side to side on it's many legs, waving it's tail and clicking it's pincers in an odd pattern. To be honest, the entire scene looks suspiciously similar to a damn taunt of all things.

Strange.

A now familiar bellowing screech manages to make my eye contact break with the oddball of a Grimm. My gaze, along with that of many of the others are once again drawn to the sky, then greeted with the sight of a rather annoyed looking Nevermore. With the visibly ruffled feathers and the loud, frantic screeching, it's pretty easy to tell it's anything but satisfied at the moment. For the first time since it's arrived in the airspace above the clearing, the aerial Grimm broke its circling formation. Instead, it takes a long, curving path out in front of us. The curve of its path leads the bird to face us directly head on, then it stops in place. Hovering for just a few seconds with powerful flaps of it's wings, I can't help but keep my eyes on it like many of the others here with me.

"Yang, where's Sully at?"

Something's odd.

"He's, uh… taking a detour. He'll be here pretty soon though Ruby! Definitely!"

That explains it. In what almost looks like slow motion, it gives a rather powerful flap of it's wings, rocketing it up nearly a foot as far as I can tell. Immediately after, the Nevermore draws it's massive wings behind it, probably as far as it can in preparation for… it's next… move?

"EVERYONE DOWN NOW!" I shout as loud as I can, hitting the deck in mere seconds. Out of the corners of my eyes I can see most managed to follow my advice perfectly, only a few stragglers being pulled down by the ones that reacted in time. The entire fall, my eyes were still fixed squarely on the Nevermore about to unleash hell on us. Then it's wings were thrust forward with a wicked amount of power, sending a shower of razor sharp feathers rocketing towards us with speed. I should really not admit this, even to myself, but as I watched the wave of death come closer and closer towards me… towards _us,_ I couldn't help but clench my eyes as tight as I could. Couldn't help but wait for the feeling to hit me like I knew it would. In spite of myself, in spite of _everything_ I've seen and been through, I still can't help but be scared. Maybe that's one of the reasons I decided to come here in the first place? Doesn't matter now, with what's coming. Even _with_ aura, this'll absolutely hurt. Nothing to do but wait, right?

Right?

Except for the fact that the pain never came. All I hear, is the _extremely_ noticeable noise of a rock fall, whatever it is shaking the ground underneath me with ease. Hell, I can even feel when the feathers stab into the ground, leaving behind a sharp shockwave that almost moves through me. After what feels like almost half a minute, everything stops and I feel confident enough to open my eyes again.

As soon as I do, I see no evidence that the Nevermore attacked at all. Well, in _front_ of me, at least. A quick glance behind me, however, reveals the source of the quaking. Nearly _everything_ that remained of the ruins was obliterated. From the remnants of the massive stone wall to the large pillars that spent their time towering over us, everything was destroyed. A veritable forest of feathers lay piercing both ground and stone among the destruction. Any hint of the relics was also washed away with the destruction of the ruins, most likely lost among the rubble. Only a single thing was uttered between all of us, coming surprisingly from the now recovered resident champion.

"It… missed?" She asked, obviously confused. After a mere glance at the rubble, her gaze shifts to something held gently in her hands. That being a… rather damaged golden rook.

How she managed to pull that off, I don't care to know. Another loud screech from the Nevermore above us easily solidifies my depressing realization.

That chicken missed on purpose.

…

 _And the ground is shaking again._

My head immediately snaps to the other Grimm in the clearing, but to my surprise the Deathstalker hasn't moved an inch. Its dance has stopped, instead of the taunt it seemed so comfortable doing it instead just sits there, most likely reveling in the tremors just like us.

"W-what IS that! Is this a stampede?!" The panic is obvious in the voice of Jaune, but it's pretty understandable. Even _I'm_ not exactly feeling calm right now, so I can't really blame him. In fact, the only one in the _entire_ group that doesn't seem panicked, or even disgruntled is that tired one. Ren, I think.

With my eyes still more or less glued to the scorpion Grimm, I can't really do much but watch as it gives nothing more than three clicks of its pincers before making a 180 and following the same path through the forest it made to get here. As my mind races to catch up with what I just witnessed, the rumbling gets worse. At the tree line, I can see many of the trees' branches shaking under the power of the quaking, some leaves even falling because of it. Finally, I manage to register what just happened.

"The Deathstalker just ran away." I announce steadily, absentmindedly keeping my voice as level as possible.

"So it has." The agreement coming from Pyrrha, gaining my attention. "Which is odd. I've never known a Deathstalker to run from much." She continues with a furrowed brow, showcasing her slight confusion. Ya know, the closer I look at her, the less worried she seems about the tremors… which have once _again_ increased in intensity. Gotten acclimated already?

Guess she's not a champ for nothing.

"You didn't study their territorial behaviors then, did ya?" Asks Yang, which I can honestly say surprises me. That implies she _has,_ and to be honest she doesn't really seem like the type to be interested in things like that.

"Not quite, no. I more studied things like their anatomy and weak points through self-study, why?" She shoots back quickly, somewhat visibly eager to hear the answer.

"Well, because Grimm run from each other a lot more than ya might think. Deathstalkers are usually real stubborn, but every now and then one will usually run from something that can eat them." She explained quickly, weapons at the ready. On the topic of them, I can't help but notice I subconsciously have Gambol Shroud prepared. "There's a lot more to it, but that's what I remember Sully saying."

Ah, well that makes a bit more sense, now doesn't it?

"Really? You learned that from Victor? As embarrassing as it is to admit, I didn't take him for such a studious type…" Pyrrha continued, now apparently invested in this conversation, eyeing Yang with a shining curiosity in her eyes and a modest smile on her face.

I think I can hear the ground **crumbling** approximately _that way._

"Don't feel too bad about it, Red Riot. He might be a sexy little beach bum, but he's a pretty smart cookie. I remember when-" Yang started to reminisce with a wide smile, only to be cut off by one of the _very last_ people I'd have ever thought of.

"I hate to break this up, but maybe you should save this until we're done here. I don't think whatever _that_ is will really have the patience, sadly." Suggested Ren, having at some point traded in his tired visage for a face of blank humor. I really have to say, so far this boy and his dulled personality is really…

Refreshing? I'll have to go with that for now.

And impatient it is. The quakes have only grown in intensity over the past few moments, with the occasional large jolt being thrown through the earth for good measure just as an attempt to throw us off our feet. From the sounds _over_ the tremors, it's easy to hear the many trees falling, uprooted most likely. As far as I can see, everyone has their weapons at the ready, which I'd say is as good a reaction as can be expected from kids mostly fresh out of combat school. I break my stare into the forest in favor of shifting it to the source of yet another screech, the Nevermore. It hasn't gone back to its habit of circling us yet, and what I'm seeing probably means it has no intention of doing so anytime soon. Just like us, the flying Grimm has it's attention on the forest, hovering in place with mighty flaps. In less than a few moments another barrage of razor-sharp feathers is sent out, flying towards something just beyond the tree line.

Well, I say _something_ … but I'm sure at least three of us know what it really is.

In seconds the feathers made touchdown, their unmistakable sound reaching my ears easily. For just a moment, time stopped. While it was almost definitely less than a second, it felt like I was frozen forever, just waiting for what I was sure would happen.

A screech, as alien as it is loud, makes the ground vibrate even over the consistent tremors. I can feel it traveling up my feet and into my legs… why can't I move?

Am I really this scared of facing this Grimm? This is embarrassing…

Then a quake unlike the others hit, smoothly bringing an end to the more consistent ones we've been feeling. Along with this end is the sound of the earth, the rumbling coming to an end suddenly and abruptly, with no explanation as to why.

At least until it peaked over the tree line.

Veritable rivers of soil and root matter stream off the massive worm-like monster, blanketing the trees and grass below it with a visible coating of earth. Despite not being light enough to do so, the dirt dripping of the massive beast clouds the sky around it not unlike a sandstorm, a quickly falling one at that. Even with the debris and obscuring filth brought up with it, the Grimm with everyone's rapt attention can be made out easily. At forty feet and rising, it surpassed the cloud of dirt long ago, leaving it's massive bone-plated visage clear for everyone in the clearing to see. It's appearance… nothing less than stomach churning.

Thick bone plates cover the near entirety of the breached creature, leaving nothing more than well-placed seams to target. Near the mouth, minuscule spikes of bleached bone jut outwards in all directions. As the body continues those minuscule spikes gradually morph into intimidating spires of grooved bone, some measuring in feet and others even larger. The beast clears the cloud of dust further and further, and in doing so light gleams off the pointed barbs even more intensely, more or less lighting the creature up. All along the Grimm's body are the same red markings every other one has, twisting and turning, curling and weaving through and around the spires jutting from it's body with intimidating effect.

No eyes. No legs. Just a fucking monster with a mouth.

And we all watched as it opened it's massive maw, stretching to an unnatural width until it completely covers it's front. Coming from that maw, a deafening screech the likes of which was able to force even the Nevermore to backpedal a few aerial steps. The _eruption_ of sound from the monster in our view kind of made me realize just what situation we're in right now. On one side of the battlefield, we have a literal _army killer._ Something that can take out thousands of people unless those people are properly taught how to kill them the easiest way possible. On the other side of the battlefield, we have roughly nine children more or less fresh out of combat school. Sure, maybe a handful of them are exceptional in battle, but a miracle that does not make. One of them is dead in the stomach of the army killer. Not a _single one_ of them are trained to take down this Grimm, as far as I can tell.

I'd bet my money on the army killer every single time.

It's flailing now. Waving and contorting it's sickening body more than fifty feet up in the air, like the filthy worm it is. While it's doing… **_that,_** and not killing us, I decide it's a perfect time to voice my opinion. A quick turn towards all the others is all the preparation I take before I let loose.

"I don't think I feel like being Grimm food, so unless one of you know how to kill that thing then I suggest we run." This gets nods from a portion of the group while the others just keep staring at the Grimm in shock. Surprisingly among the more coherent ones was that Jaune boy, coming back with a quip of his own.

"Run? From _that_ thing? You have my undivided-" Whatever he was planning on saying never made it to the waking world. Instead, only the sound of a now familiar screeching made it to my ears. Naturally, like moths drawn to a flame, each and every one of us shift our gazes to the source. The beast, now thrashing even more intensely lets loose a low bellow. Sounding almost like a siren, it definitely sounds different from before. The long waves of its body are becoming more frantic, panicked even… that's more than enough to unnerve me. That is, until it decided to stiffen up completely, unnaturally. Now we're on full creep scale.

As I sit here, watching this Thresher twisted up and more or less stuck above the tree line, I can't help but cement the fact that the guy I met only yesterday is dead. He'd have to either be _incredibly_ strong, or just have the luck of the gods themselves to avoid even getting skewered by its teeth, much less survive _inside_ that fucking thing.

A shame. I can't quite put my finger on it… but there was _something_ about him. What was it?

I honestly didn't even register when the bellowing had stopped. What I definitely _did_ notice, is when it started up again. Different than all those other screeches before it. Uncomfortably high pitched, even worse than the explosive first encounter we had with it. A horrible sound that somehow managed to echo across the vast sky above the tree line. The sound visibly shook the branches of the trees around it, at the very least as far as I can see. After nearing ten seconds of enduring the audible sound of death itself, it just ends. A hard stop.

What replaced it, I have no idea. All around me, all I hear is crunching. A stomach-churning cracking sound nearly as loud as the shriek. With just us, a freaked out Nevermore, and a massive completely still Thresher, it's pretty easy to figure out the culprit. The question is: Why is the Thresher making that sound?

Only a second of analysis is what it takes. All along the Grimm are spiderweb cracks, more like fault lines fully encompassing its armor. The cracks escalate fast, entire chunks of bone plating separating from their home and making the journey towards the ground… only to begin evaporating into their ashy grave before they're even half way there. This entire time, silence reigns over everything in the area. The Nevermore is watching in curiosity instead of attacking. That crazy one that came to the clearing riding a Grimm has stars in her eyes. The tired one, watching with silent indifference. Pyrrha, the Champion, is watching in curiosity, worry hidden quite well. Jaune honestly looks terrified… but there is a certain steel in his eyes I didn't expect to find. Ruby is surprisingly the most serious of all of us, very obviously studying not only the Thresher, but also eyeing that Nevermore above us. My… partner, Weiss, does well maintaining her stance, not giving much of anything away aside from that twitching eye of hers. Yang is…. smiling. A cheshire grin if I've ever seen one, which worries me a bit. Myself… I'm trying to memorize everyone here.

And the Thresher, completely silent through it all.

Then with an apocalyptic cracking sound, more close to the sound of the earth itself being torn open than the shell of a death worm being broken, something terrifying happened. All along the body of the stiff Grimm _things_ started emerging from it. Breaking even more of its armor away in great bursts of ash and smoke, _blue_ and _wavy_ things make their way out, forcing my jaw to drop in the process. Parasites the likes of which I've never _seen_ or _heard_ of absolutely wreck the Grimm's being, curling and growing larger with each second.

I think I'm feeling a bit sick…

A twitch. That's all that comes from the parasite ridden Grimm for a moment, the massive blue tentacle-like things writhing about. Then, a bellow. Lower than all the others, like a whale out of the ocean. In the next moment, literal _hundreds_ of tentacle-like parasites pour out of every available portion of the Grimm. Armor is more or less pushed out of the way in favor of smoke and ash, quickly followed by a new addition to the mass of blue. That's not all, though. Along the sides, tentacles join and pile upon each other, merging almost like they're made of liquid. In the end at least four truly _monstrous_ tendrils are left, two on each side flanked by a still enormous number of smaller ones. Like the others they writhe and twist among themselves above the tree line, without common purpose or goal.

At least at first, they did.

After mere seconds of their existence they flow towards the underside of the Grimm that hosts them with fluid persistence, slowly but smoothly. The tips of the four tendrils, once there, seem to search for purchase on the steeled underside of the Thresher for a small bit before apparently finding what they were looking for. With a strong thrust that I'm _sure_ I felt all the way from here, the four monsters punch themselves through the middle seam of the armor with little resistance, a true testament to the strength behind them. The seam on the bottom of the beast is cracked open like a shell, separating cleanly along the fault and drenching everything below it in a heavy coating of black smoking blood. That's not the end though, not even close.

A twitch from all four of the mega-structures is all the warning we receive. The tendrils give a mighty heave, stretching the now opened fault line in the beast's armor with startling ease. Further and further the opening is stretched, all the while spilling out gore and ashen blood from the gaping cavity of the creature. Massive plumes of smoke cover the airspace, blackening the skies with the remains of Grimm innards. A final crack was heard before the shell gave out, snapping the two halves of the underside outwards and showering the area with gore from the force.

No sound from the Thresher. I'm sure it's safe to say it's dead.

After such a show, I can only hope that the parasites have finished their mission. The only evidence I have that this might be right, is that they immediately retracted after the Thresher was bisected along its underside. Some retreated back into the beast, but others… melted? They just fell to the ground like all the gore and blood before it, apparently now dead weight. The stiffness of the Grimm also disappeared. **_Completely._**

Almost in slow motion, the smoking carcass of the Thresher it once was teetered for only a moment before finding its direction. Plummeting straight to the ground. On its considerable way down silence reigned. I suppose even Yang, the one who seemed most excited at the appearance of the parasites, was struck with shock. After that moment of tense silence, the sound of breaking trees and branches existed for a few precious seconds before I nearly got knocked off my feet by the impact of the beast on the ground, it's head and most of it's upper body now resting in the clearing with us… _including_ a good portion of the bisected seam. From the impact, a nice cloud of dust rose up, along with a good portion of the soil being tossed in every direction. As we waited for the cloud to lighten up… I see _movement_ passed the dust.

"So, Yang." The voice of a tiny red scythe wielder started. "A detour, you said?"

Without giving an answer, the blonde takes off running towards the cloud. Apparently I'm not the only one to see passed it. Following her soon after was Weiss, doing her best to keep up with the frantic pace set by her. As I keep looking, I realize in the deepest parts of my mind that it can't just be movement. No matter how much I wish to stick to what I know. Therefore, following behind Weiss… was _me._

…

I guess I've never really been too good of a gambler, to be honest. I put my money on the wrong side.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµ Sully POV µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

BOY OH BOY DID THAT BIG WORM MAKE ME UNHAPPY. ME GLAD BIG WIGGLY DEAD.

"SULLY! I knew you'd be okay!" Big Bird talk to me? Let me look closer at.

"Uh… you alright? You seem kinda… off." Kinda what? More smol ones come from behind big Yellow? Vicco must impart knowledge.

"The Juice can be obtained. You get nice clothes or a nice car, you got the juice. It comes and goes." Memorize these words, or Elmo shalt cometh.

"Is he… alright? What is he talking about?" A SMALL WHITE ASK ME? Who.

"I have no idea, he might have hit his-"

"BUT THE SAUCE! The sauce is forever!"

"How are we gonna fix _that?_ I think he's bleeding…" Small black and white? What?

"You buy you a Simply Lemonade, how long that last in your-"

A resounding smack echoes inside my brain, throwing my head to the side and nearly knocking me over on my ass.

"Like that!" An immensely proud sounding Yang announces to the others in the clearing, very easily gaining my attention as I stand here next to the corpse of my prison. As I turn my gaze in their direction, I'm met with two pairs of incredulous eyes and another that more or less bathes me in worry. She can fret all she wants, because in the end she's the one that mended my fucked mind with a _slap to the face_ of all things.

Thank god, too. I'm pretty sure I wasn't ready to use that much of my semblance. Shitty thing is, it fucked with my mind _and_ I didn't even get to see what I was doing! All I had to go off was **feel!**

…

 _Big Vicco still unhappy about that._ But whatever! I should just be glad my terrible spur-of-the-moment plan worked at all and that I didn't end up killing that thing underground or something. Now _that_ would be a fuckin' way to die. Have I mentioned how nice it is to see again?

Speaking of… this entire time I've been staring at the three girls before me, more or less taking my time to find the best words possible. In the end, I find myself lost. What does one say to people after they almost die… for like the third time secretly? 'Nice weather'?

Instead, I just wrap them all in a hug. Surprisingly, every one of them hugs me back. I can say I'm actually shocked at this because at least two of these girls aren't the most... ' _hug-friendly'_ people I can think of. Nonetheless it warms my cold dead heart.

Legit, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. As I pull back I decide to throw caution to the wind and say the first thing I think of.

"That fucking _sucked_. Never let me get eaten by a big stupid worm ever again please. I almost suffocated in there, dude." My _extremely serious_ request pretty much broke the tension between us, and I knew instantly that everything would be fine for now. Blake rolling her eyes at me, Weiss scoffing to the side, and Yang laughing makes pretty much everything feel right in the world. Well… except for the giant evaporating corpse of a worm literally a few feet away from us.

"I suppose I can promise you that… as long as you promise to stop your nosebleed right there." Cheeky Legs, you'd think she'd be a bit nicer to a man that just- a nosebleed? Reaching my hand up to my lip, I give a quick wipe and hold it out in front of my face. Sure enough, it's drenched in blood.

"How bad is it?" I ask, a little concerned. Usually when I get a nosebleed it's because I use too much of my power.

"It's dripping down your throat now." Answered Blake, slightly higher pitched in her monotone than I remember. Hope she wasn't worried while I was gone.

"Ah. So it's bad then. Yang you got a napkin or something? I'll stop this, then we'll wait for the others and head back to the cliffs."

"Yea I've got a couple medical rags on me, but what do you mean wait?" She answers back, leaving the question at the end for me. Of course I knew she'd have _something_ to help stop the bleeding, she was raised by Tai after all. And apparently they haven't noticed the other five whooping on the Nevermore's ass quite yet. With Jaune apparently having the idea for Pyrrha to launch Nora into the air and crack that stupid chicken over the head with her hammer, I can already see Ruby's mind working even from over here.

"Well, because of _that._ " I kindly inform them, pointing a finger in the direction of the new fight. As one they turn and watch the others in action. In these next few moments, we just so happen to watch Ruby rush towards Pyrrha using the full power of her semblance only to be launched into the air much like Nora using the redhead's considerable power. About halfway up, she swings her scythe.

Now, with the force of the giant chicken plummeting towards the ground, combined with the force of Ruby's upward momentum and the power of her swing, _all_ on the sharp edge of her Crescent Rose, we all just got to watch as a Nevermore got cut in half from beak to ass.

Naturally, that brings only a single question to my mind.

"Hey Blake, did _my_ kill look as cool as that?"

…

Stop laughing damnit, I'm being serious!

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Beacon Atrium µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

To be honest… I didn't really realize there would be so many people here. As I look out from the side of the stage, I see hundreds of people filling the atrium. Not only the floor, but the upper levels as well.

How intimidating.

"Russel Thrush, Cardin Winchester, Dove Bronzewing, Sky Lark." Ozzy announces, letting the four aforementioned boys walk to the stage before continuing. "The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as team Cardinal." My mind automatically replaced the regular word with CRDL. Why did that of all things become a habit? "Led by, Cardin Winchester." Ozzy finishes, leaving a good moments pause. During this the crowd gives a generous amount of applause before the four walk off stage.

"Victor Arcadia Sullivan, Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna, Weiss Schnee." We're going first? A bit off, but whatever. As a group we walk onto the stage and take position. I'm kinda nervous, even if I hate to admit it. "The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces, as well as defeated a rather formidable adversary." Naturally, murmurs of confusion spread throughout the crowd quite fast. No doubt curiosity over what the _cheeky headmaster_ mentioned has their attention. I oughta wipe that damn smirk off his face… "From this day forward, you will work together as team Abyss." ABYS, huh? I guess that's fair. Don't think I miss that smirk on your face though, _Professor._

"Led by young Victor Sullivan. I look forward to seeing what the four of you will accomplish." He said before signaling us to leave the stage. In all honesty I kinda expected this, but it's still a shock to hear that _I_ am gonna be leading a team.

Guess I'll have to get my shit together, right? As a side note, I hope no one ends up accusing the headmaster of favoring my team with that last comment. That would be annoying, except not really.

"Congrats, Beach Bum! I knew it was gonna be you!" My gaze gets drawn to my new teammates as we make our way to stand next to the other five in the crowd. Yang looks ecstatic, and Blake looks fairly satisfied not to be leader. Weiss… has nothing but begrudging acceptance painted across her face. The best I can hope for, so I'll take that shit!

"Thanks, Yellow. Glad to hear you believed in me!" Just these words alone made me notice something. Not the brightening of Yang's smile, nah that was pretty obvious all on its own. Instead, it was the fact that Blake seemed to almost flinch at those words. Those wide eyes don't exactly lie, Holmes. Like my usual self, I decide to address this with as much tact and responsibility as possible.

"Ay Blakey-poo, why'd ya get startled when I said 'Believed in me'?" This definitely got me a reaction through the fact that Blake basically shot her gaze towards me with wide eyes, like she'd been caught with her entire fuckin' foot in the cookie jar.

Interesting. However, she reveals nothing to me. Then I turn my gaze to a pensive Weiss. The leggy snowflake just so happened to spill the baked beans immediately.

"Weeeelll… after you got… _eaten,_ she was completely convinced that you were dead. I'm fairly certain she nearly collapsed when we saw you alive and well earlier… which I certainly can't fault her for."

Oh. **_Interesting._**

I heave a mighty sigh and drop my cheery attitude in preparation for my next move. Replacing it, an impenetrable wall that gives nothing away, as good as I can manage. Locking my eyes with Blakes, I take a single step towards her. Then another. Then two more. I continue doing so until she starts taking steps of her own _back._ Only three more steps of _that_ until Blake backs into Yang, whom doesn't move. With Yang acting as the wall, I inch my face closer and closer to hers, partly for my own amusement and partly for a quite serious reason. Once I was as close as close can be, and Blake's eyeballs looked ready to fall out of her damn face, I announce my move.

"... I guess we'll just have to fix that trust of yours as a team then, won't we homegirl?"

…

What the fuck did you _think_ I was gonna do?

"If I may have your attention, I have a bit of an announcement to make before I list off the final team." The murmuring of the crowd stops gradually in favor of hearing the Headmaster. "The next team will be a bit different compared to the others before it. Despite what many believe, I _do_ pay close attention to the enemies we face. In recent times, I've personally seen a rise in the danger of even your average Beowolf pack, and have come to a decision. In order to combat this rise in lethality, I've decided to install a formation of team that hasn't been seen since the founding of Beacon, alongside the other academies. A five-person team." Cue surprise not only from the crowd, but also from _me._ To be perfectly honest, I didn't think he'd really address the fact that the team has five people on it at all.

Guess I was wrong!

"That being said… Jaune Arc, Ruby Rose, Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren, Pyrrha Nikos." The silence almost hurt my fucking ears as they walked up onto the stage. Is this what tinnitus is? "The five of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as team Gradient." Team JRRNN? What the fuck is that monster of a team name? I'll have to make an effort to recognize _that_ particular team name as an actual WORD in my head instead of an anagram.

"Led by Jaune Arc and Ruby Rose." Ozpin finished smoothly, like he didn't just say what he just said.

 _Two_ leaders, huh? That's a new one.

Then, just like a switch was flipped, Ozzy-boy just turns around and walk off stage… then out of the room.

…

I guess he explained himself too much in one day to tell everyone the ceremony is over. That's fair I guess. Seeing how the crowd is now pouring out of the doors, I'd say that's pretty normal.

Fucking turbo epic, then.

"So what do we do now?" Asks Yang from beside me, more or less leaning her entire weight against my arm in an impressive show of laziness. Luckily, I have just the answer for such a question.

"I'm hungry. Ya think they have shawarma in the cafeteria?"

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Chapter 7 µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ END µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 _Hell yeah, big Chonky chapter number seven down! I'm pretty proud of this one, so I'd love to hear what you all think of it._

 _I put in not only Blake's mind, but Weiss' thought process. I think it went over pretty well, if I say so myself. Then there's team names, team placements, all kinds of shit really to talk about._

 _Along with the death of the Thresher… and Sully's little handicap._

 _Anyway, let me know what ya thought, and if you wanna play my game tell me what's hands down your favorite drink, alcoholic or not._

 _Guess that's about it!_

 _Shore out, see ya next time_


	8. Vibrio Symbiosis

_What's poppin B. I'm back with the longest chapter I've ever written so far, clocking in at over 23,000 words. There are a couple reasons why it's so long, but some of them you'll find out yourself. I'm not sure if this is just gonna become the new standard or not, but we'll see I guess. I've also gone and completely revamped every chapter so far, as you can tell by the little cliff note I put in the description. Any mistakes I've missed should be miniscule at most._

 _For right now, though, I think I'll just let this stand as both a milestone and a present to all of you. Not too long ago the story surpassed 100 followers, and I can't even tell you all how happy that made me! It might just be rice compared to some of the other stories, but I just can't believe that so many people actually enjoy what I write! I'm not exaggerating when I say that every time someone follows or favorites or comments, it makes me happy for the rest of the week._

 _So, I just want to say thank you to everyone that decided to stick around from the very beginning. You all know who you are, I couldn't ask for a better little community here. To all of you new people, here's a big fuckin howdy from not only me, but everyone here!_

 _Mushy mushy, yea I know. Anyway, before I tell you something fun let's get into the comments again._

 _StahlTheAegis – I'm glad you're happy about it my man! I really wish I could upload faster, but with the amount of work I put into each chapter it's a bit hard to balance that and my full-timer job. I'm gonna try to get the next one out faster this time, but it's honestly a game of chance sadly enough. Btw… you get bragging rights for showing up first last chapter! See ya next time homie_

 _Fat Future Cat – In that chapter where he fights Neo, I had a line in there where he felt something really tight about to snap inside him. That was kinda a hint about how his power goes. As far as he knows, he doesn't really have much of a power cap when it comes to his semblance… but the thing is, it ISN'T really a semblance. I do like keeping little plot points like this vague so I can play around with them as I go, but I'll go ahead and say that the more monumental or insanely he uses the water, the more he hurts himself. I'd even go so far as to say if he used enough power at once, he could potentially make himself go brain dead. For now, he just gets nosebleeds because of the mental strain, but like most things I put in it'll get explained and expanded upon as we go. I'm glad to know you're looking forward to chapters, by the by, thanks!_

 _Managed Dragoon – I had a great Christmas my man, and I hope everyone here had a great one too! I think I'll have my boi Sully start his 'trust training' with Blake next chapter. I guarantee it'll feature golden stars and stickers. I'm eager to hear from ya, and I hope your liver did just fine_

 _GriffinMan – I had a pretty nice winter all around, the well wishes from my friends on here also had me in a pretty great mood! I had a lot of fun writing that chapter… and if you're excited for some of the more intense things, then I'm sure what I've got'll knock you on your ass homie! I'm just taking it a bit easier at the start because it's no fun to start real heavy out the gate, ya feel me?_

 _Trust me though, once it picks up you'll know it_

 _Raidentensho – You've got a lot of ideas don't ya? I think the Apathy are something I'll have a lot of fun playing with once we get there, they're a super interesting concept. I think I have something in the works for them, though_

 _Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch – Coffee's an interesting favorite, it's a lot more mature than mine. I like lemonade a lot. On the other side of drinks though… finally another beer guy! Sometimes it feels like I'm the only one I know of that can sit down and drink a cold one. Everyone else is all about shots instead._

 _As for the bloodbending… not exactly. I explain how he did it a bit more in this chapter so everyone can see how he managed to get the water he had that far. Don't worry though, I plan to make 'bloodbending' have a pretty major appearance in the story. It won't take you any trouble to spot it once it pops off, I guarantee you that._

 _Also I thought the horse gag was pretty funny too! See ya next time!_

 _Zandaino-Nova-Ari – Never had it before, but it sounds okay_

 _Ragnas Bredvolts – Hope you had a good holiday season my man… and I'm sure you'll be interested in this chapter_

 _0-Tengetsu-0 – Aye, and once again I am back with an even longer one than ever before! Anyway, I'm really glad ya liked the team ups I made. I had that idea since the beginning, so I'm glad it worked out so well with everyone. Hopefully your interest stays pretty steady, because I've got some huge things planned for this story. See ya!_

 _StahlTheAegis – Thanks for checkin in again hombre, I appreciate that. Everything's going fine, too_

 _Those were a lot of fuckin comments there people, I enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to drop one off. Now though, while I would usually let you loose on the story, I have a bit of an announcement about this chapter._

 _Somewhere in this chapter, there is a warning about a certain string of scenes. Read if you dare, but I've decided to try my hand at it and put it in. Feel free to skip it if you want to, but that's your choice. I have no intention to turn this story into nothing but that scene's contents, so don't worry. Just think of it as a present for the story surpassing the 100,000 word mark, and a bit of a present to all of you who stuck with it after all this time. I really can't express how thankful and happy I am that everyone here is supporting me, but more importantly the story._

 _Without further delay, HAVE AT IT!_

 **Chapter 8 µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ Vibrio Symbiosis µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

"This is actually better than I thought it would be." I comment quite happily, sitting down with my brand-new team members in the cafeteria. Beside me was Yang, naturally, and opposite us sat Weiss and Blake with the later looking at me curiously. In front of Weiss was a plate sporting a rather smart looking salad with vinaigrette dressing, being picked apart at a fairly steady pace. In front of Blake was a plate of steamed fish and a side of vegetables. To be honest, I'm pretty glad to know she _doesn't_ see fit to eat an entire fucking salmon for every meal. That would be… problematic. For her health if nothing else, seriously. For Yang… well she's tearing into what _used_ to be a 12-ounce steak and a baked potato with gusto.

That's my girl!

In front of me is the object of my current affection. Sitting comfortably in my hands is a delicious concoction of food items, all coming together to form shawarma. Usually it would be lamb, but taking its place this time are shavings of beef, cut off of a standing spit as it cooks. With it are diced tomatoes, onions and pickled bell peppers, all wrapped up in flatbread and drizzled in mango sauce.

Along with a little secret ingredient for some kick. I gotta remember to thank that old lady in the kitchen for them, we're _definitely_ on the same wave-length.

On the plate in front of me are two more of the same, nicely stacked and ready for consumption. As I take another bite of my little slice of heaven, I'm struck with a thought. A quick glance around is all I need to see that the girls are busy focused on their own meals, the exception being Blake who seems to find my plate interesting enough to shoot glances at. Beyond just interest, I can't really decipher what she's thinking about it. Since nothing is happening, I fish out my scroll with a mission in mind.

My _dismantled_ scroll. I believe it's time to see what exactly small and three-flavored had to say last night. Booting the tech up casually, I take another bite of my delicious Mediterranean treat. Finally getting past the power on screen, I see immediately that I seem to have two new messages.

Not hard to figure out who they're from, really.

Clicking the app without caution, I'm greeted with something that easily catches my eye. Underneath the single worded message, the _new_ one, is an image file that has yet to be opened. Curious… but I think I'll practice some restraint this time. On average, I'd immediately go for the mystery image, but with Neo that might not be too good an idea. Instead, I take my attention away from my scroll for just long enough to take a bite of my shawarma, then glue my eyes back on it almost immediately with intense curiosity in my heart.

 **-** ** _Cute, huh? I was more going for sexy, but I'll take it-_**

…

How menacing. What could possibly be in the image file then? Without any more caution to stifle my sails, I click the notification and am greeted with its contents.

Two beautiful orbs of pale moonlight, somehow being contained by a cloth of white satin. Overlapping the silky material are two straps of a deep chocolate brown, squishing down into the deceptively pliable flesh and taking the form of an enticing bit of lingerie: a garter belt. At the other end of the deliciously taught straps are sheer chocolate leggings, rising up to the thigh and no further, leaving just that much more skin in frame. From the garter belt upwards is the sight of a decidedly feminine back, tight but not muscular. Just beyond that, so carefully placed in the middle of the shot, is Neo's smug fucking face. With her orbs of pink and brown piercing my own seemingly through the picture, her matching hair compliments the stare.

This cheeky cunt just sent me a booty pic.

With this newfound information flooding my poor innocent mind, I do what any man would.

Without any restraint, I calmly take the last bite of my shawarma and savor its flavor while chewing, then swallowing and letting loose a breath of satisfaction as I stare at the photo I've been gifted with. Thankfully, before I was able to exit out of the pic I was interrupted.

"Whatcha got there, Hubby?" Asks Yellow curiously from my side, getting my attention with ease as usual. A single glance tells me she's finished her steak, but has decided to take somewhat of a break from her potato, instead she's sitting back a bit and taking a sip from her drink. Naturally, and without any thought of gauging the room before enacting my new idea, I shove my scroll in front of her face and say one thing.

"A snack."

Now, cause and effect are a very powerful force of nature. For someone like me, it's a tool that gets exploited very generously. An example would be what just happened. Because I shoved a pic of a very attractive behind in front of my girl Yang while she was drinking something, the _effect_ is that the poor woman started coughing violently with a peachy blush gracing her cheeks. While I wasn't able to tell if it was because of suffocation or the nice ass she saw, I still went about patting her on the back in an effort to stop her from dying.

Before that, however, I snap a picture of my wide eyed and gape mouthed girlfriend as she clutches the table, trying valiantly to get air into her lungs.

As is the role of a good boyfriend. Before I shut down my incognito scroll, I shoot the picture I just took to Neo. I follow this with a quick ' ** _-My wife really liked that, TY-_** '.

This _did_ have the unwanted effect of intensifying Yang's coughing, turning her peachy blush to a full-on red face in the process which made me blink in surprise… or at least until I figured out my mis-step.

I… may or may not have forgot to take the scroll out from in front of her face… which means she saw me sacrifice her to my new friend.

Rest in peace, sweet dragon. You will be missed.

"A _'snack'_? Why would you bother looking at snacks when you still have-" Sadly enough for the young Schnee whom exists _sooo_ far out of the loop, she was saved from my explanation by a mystery person violently bursting onto the scene. By that, I mean a certain pink-clad chick slamming her tray down next to me, the mashed potatoes and gravy that lived there slopping partially onto the portion of table next to me. The meatloaf, however, remains unmoved!

" _YOU!_ " An accusatory voice shouts at me, slapping the table _again_ as punctuation. Instead of wheeling my eyes around as I usually would, I just continue patting my girlfriend's back.

"You're the one that showed me up by making a _thresher_ EXPLODE!" Oh? I think I can have fun with this.

With Yang's choking now at an end, and wind now back in her lungs, I calmly and dispassionately turn to look at Nora. The expression that awaits me actually _isn't_ displeasure, much to my surprise. Instead, I find a beaming smile set firmly upon her face. First move, go!

"Hm? Did you say something?" I am a fucking master.

"Don't you try to pull a Ren on _ME,_ guy! I challenge you to a DEUL!" I can't tell if those are stars in her eyes, or if I'm just really tired. Could be both, now that I think about it. Either way, her open challenge towards me was met with hidden curiosity from both Weiss and Blake, even if visible distaste is all that shows on the former's face. From Yang, all the challenge got was a snort of amusement.

She's pretty much the only one that knows what's coming… she's been on the receiving end of it before, after all.

As I sit here with the Valkyrie looming over me, the rest of team Gradient joins us. Ruby, Pyrrha, and Jaune sit down at the table in a little group of their own. Ren, on the other hand, slumps down next to his partner, somehow managing to drag her onto the bench with him with strength I didn't know Yung Monty really had. Without even turning to face her, he admonishes her promptly.

"Nora, don't go around challenging people you haven't me-" Sorry to say, my man, but I can't let you stop her just yet. I haven't even started my plan yet!

"Yea, okay." I answer, cutting him off before he could finish whatever his sentence was. My answer was met with a muted pause from Ren. While he didn't really seem surprised on the outside, I'm sure it's not _too_ common that people cave into Nora's habits so easily. At my immediate acceptance to her challenge, Nora's face lights up with happiness.

Wordlessly, I pick up one of my shawarmas and set it in front of the girl, much to her surprise, and take the one left into my own hands. Looking at her, with confusion plain on her face, I issue a challenge of _my own._

"See if you can stomach that like I can." I issue quite simply. Afterwards, I calmly take a bite of my meal and chew it without rush. Nora, still eyeing me with confusion up until this point, now has a fire in her eyes that can't be matched. Turning to her new meal, she grabs it up with greedy hands.

"If you can take it, I shouldn't have any problem at all!"

Ren looks positively suspicious right now.

"I'd imagine. What could _possibly_ make eating that such a problem in the _first place?_ Does it taste foul or something?" Asks Weiss, clearly confused at the nature of my challenge and why it _seems_ so easy to accomplish. Blake… still looks intrigued. Just as I was about to add my input for Weiss, Big and Yellow beats me to the punch.

"Just watch. You'll see." She answers her cryptically… which doesn't suit Yang at all. Like even in the _slightest._

Everyone watches with baited breath as Nora inches herself closer and closer to the food, unintentionally psyching everyone present out as she takes a whiff of it. Then, like a switch was flipped, she shoots in and takes a heaping bite out of it. With all semblance of tension now ruined, we all watch blankly as she chews with reckless abandon and swallows thickly, then shooting in for another bite. This whole time I've been calmly eating my own with no trouble.

Then it started.

A flush creeped up her neck slowly like a predator, steadily encompassing her entire face. Her fast-paced chewing gradually slowed to a halt almost in perfect timing with the flush, only happening now once every few seconds instead of constantly. Within seconds of all of this, a sheen of sweat popped up on her brow, some trailing down to her neck. Slowly, almost begrudgingly, she sat the sandwich down and traded it off for gulping her drink down heavily. The three lovebirds of team Gradient just looked confused at the happening, _probably because they weren't paying attention,_ but whatever. Weiss looked shocked at how fast the girl was subdued, and Blake looked somehow even _more_ suspicious than before. Yang, for her part, had nothing but calm acceptance on her face. Ren, on the other hand… had his jaw laxed, mouth hanging open in surprise.

How lovely.

"…Th-that's too hot for me…" Nora admits, looking disappointed. Instead of trying to rub my victory in her face, I instead give the girl a pat on the shoulder as a way of apology. Thankfully, she looks a bit happier at my attempt to comfort her, then started eating her _actual_ dinner. Seeing Blake turn to me with curiosity clear as day on her face, I decide to finally give her an answer.

"I put crushed habanero peppers in them." I answer frankly, taking another big bite of my meal. From the corner of my eye, I can see Jaune wince at that statement.

That's a fair reaction. Not everyone can handle a bit of spice.

"Every now and then he gets on a spice kick and puts peppers in everything… like, seeds and everything! I had to learn the hard way not to challenge him whenever it comes to food. He's a bit of a _cheater!_ " Yang explains further to everyone, leaving the last part reserved for me, I guess.

"So _that's_ what that smell was…" Blake trails off, which pretty much hits me in the face with a realization. That must be why she was stealing hot and heavy glances with my fuckin food! With an odd look on her face, little Fiocco turns to gaze at her partner. A solid few seconds of silent gazing occurs.

Is homegirl starting to sweat?

"I wasn't the only one that smelled that?" Seems the Schnee _also_ smelled the peppers that old lady gave to me. She was cool!

And just like that, a wave of relief passed over my faunus friend as snow cone finally said her piece… thankfully. Papa bear seems to be getting relatively tired at this point. Speaking of, I think it's about time our group starts heading to our new dorm room. Glazing my eyes over my teammates it seems that every one of them cleaned their plates, so with a new plan in mind I turn to my girlfriend.

"Shower time?" I ask her, eager to get back to the room and _eventually,_ sleep. Turning to me, she responds in kind.

"Shower time."

Supreme-o epic-o.

Taking up my tray and Yang's, I go ahead and address the others seated with us.

"Yang and I are gonna head back to the room, you two coming?" Blake simply nods her agreeance, and I stack her tray on top of ours. Weiss, on the other hand, had a response for me.

"You three go on ahead. I think I'll be staying for just a bit longer so that I can talk with Pyrrha more." Desperate! Uh, I mean… nah, I had it right the first time. Just cementing how far the poor girl is out of the loop, the three of us as one mind turn to observe just _how enthralled_ the champion is with Jaune's conversation. And how much attention she's _not_ giving the young snowflake.

A heartbreaking tale of unrequited love if I've ever seen one. Depressing, actually.

"Yeah… let us know how that goes." Says Blake blandly, then getting up from the table and making her way towards the entrance. Both Yang and I follow, since the tray deposit is next to our destination there's no reason for me deviate. Yang, however, leans back a little to say goodbye.

"See ya tomorrow, sis!"

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Team Abyss Dorm µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Ya know, this bitch is actually more spacious than I thought. I always thought of dorm rooms as being cramped and stuffy, but this ain't so bad.

Now… furniture placement. As much faith as I have in my carpentry skills, suspending a fucking bed from the ceiling is a completely different ball game. I don't really wanna be crushed by a bed first thing in the morning… so I think we'll just have to leave any and all furniture safely on the ground.

"We're pushing our beds together, right?" Yang asks from beside me, decked out in her pjs. While Blake is blow drying her hair, and with both of us now squeaky-clean, we decided to survey the room and make a few design choices. Off the bat, I can tell you that there's no point in keeping our beds apart here.

We'd end up sleeping in only one of them after a few days, to be honest. Yang's a very… _huggy_ kinda lady. Only reason we kept apart back on Patch is because neither of us wanted to sit through a safe sex talk with Tai. With how much of a medi-nerd he is, I guarantee he'd somehow make that talk last more than five hours.

"Read my fuckin mind, Sunshine. Let's take the ones _away_ from the bathroom, yea?" I say, already grabbing the frame of one and maneuvering it into position. As I do, Yang grabs the other and does the same. After a fair amount of fucking with the mattresses and sheets, we effectively have a two-person sleeping situation ready to go. With a wide grin on my face I take the ultimate initiative and flop down on the bed with all limbs spread wide, now reveling in the softness against my back after a long day inside monster guts. Only seconds later a _mysterious weight_ makes itself feel at home on top of me, curling up quickly in the process. I don't even have to look down to know who it is.

But I do anyways.

Lilac eyes peer up at me from my chest, framed with luscious gold locks and accompanied by a smug grin that irks me just the _tiniest_ bit. A beautiful sight I can't really help but be thankful for, as mushy as that sounds. Even still, that smugness is something I just can't ignore. Taking even _more_ initiative, I wake my spread arms from their slumber and tightly wrap them around the resting dragon on my chest. While I watch her eyes widen just slightly in surprise, I go ahead and squish her against me a bit like a dog toy.

"HA! Stop that, you don't expect me to squeak or something do you?" The giggle she gives me at the end of that kind of defeats the entire statement, but that's fine. I think I can feel my grin turning into a legit smile!

"Well, that's exactly what I expected you to do. Just like the other day, remember?" I ask, putting a bit of husk behind my voice on purpose, which obviously works just as planned. The light bit of color on her cheeks lets me know my little jab at our romp the other day was successful, but a throat clearing from across the room gains both of our attentions before we can get further into it.

Cockblocked… sad frowny face.

"What are you two doing?" Asks Blake the Homegirl, now standing ready for battle by the door of the now empty bathroom. By that, I mean she's pretty much leaning against the doorframe, surveying the both of us with tired eyes.

I get the distinct impression that she gets tired a lot… kinda like a-

"Kinda, but since it's you I'll let it slide." Yang graciously declares from her snuggle hold atop my chest, barely able to turn to see the third party in the room.

"Oh."

"Ah don't listen to her Blake, you're fine. Not like we were gonna do anything while you were pretty much right next to us anyways." I say, trying my best to make Yang's response not so… rude? I guess that's a word for it?

"Well, unless you're into that kinda thing. Right beach boy?" Yang comments off the cuff, once again catching poor Blake off guard. The tiredness in her eyes is pretty much gone at this point, instead replaced with the RAW POWER of mild unease.

"I mean…"

"And why would I want to do that?" Blaph the Tummy Slapper challenges from her post. Despite her narrowed eyes… you can't hide a smile from the master, now can you? In response, Yang for some reason pulls off some unholy sexy crossbreed between assuming _the position_ and a downward dog, with myself still holding her upper body against me. Pretty much, she tries her best to hike her knees up to either side of me to get some semblance of weight on them. With her in nothing but yoga pants and one of my barely-used shirts, I'm sure Blake was treated to quite the sight.

Question is… what the fuck is she _doing_?

"Uhmmm, duh?" Oh, I see. She's waving her ass enticingly at the cat by the door, obviously.

The only _logical_ way to respond to a question.

With only a few seconds pause, Blake rolls her eyes at my Blondie's actions. Though for some reason… I can't help but think I saw contemplation cross her face. How interesting!

"She's not wrong, gurl. Papa bird's got two wings if you wanna cuddle!" I tease with a measure of no effort at all, successfully drawing a bit of color to her cheeks. Whether it was from anger or embarrassment is up for debate, but I couldn't give less of a fuck to be honest. It's still a win either way for me! Also, my mind has checked out for the day anyway.

"Gimme some time to think about it, homeboy." She trails off, sounding amused by the decision much to my surprise. Beyond the shock of her calling me homeboy again… she's actually thinking about it? Already?! I know all three of us pretty much passed out on each other yesterday, but I honestly didn't think my shitty pick up line would work!

Maybe… maybe Yang waving her cheeks did the trick? Does she have a _magic_ booty? AN ASS ENCHANTED BY THE GOD OF TEMTATION?!

…

Nah I'm sure Blake's just joking. Well… maybe only _seventy percent_ sure. Besides, I think I might have willfully ignored a good bit of noncommittal tone in her voice. I really _am_ checked out, huh?

"Yang, you must have a magic ass or something. Or maybe we're just comfy to sleep with?" Ah, that little no-filter tick is back. How nice.

"Neither one of those really sounds like a bad compliment to me, honestly! Besides… shouldn't you _know_ that first one is _true?_ You're my boyfriend after all~!" Cheeky cunt with the smarmy grin seems to be talking mad smack, my guy. She's not wrong, though.

I choked on my spit when she said that, by the by.

As the night drew on, Blake eventually migrated to her own bed with a book in hand. She didn't stop chiming in occasionally to our conversation however, and the teasing between the three of us didn't really seem to let up. One way or another, the subject of talk bounced from one topic to another with startling ease, as it always seems to do between people close to one another. Further and further into the evening we got, talking the entire time until we all felt the trials of the day fall upon us, more or less drilling firm fatigue into the back of our heads. By the time Weiss walked through the door, Yang and I were passed out hugging each other in what was probably an obnoxious show of affection, sleeping away into the night.

What a fucking _day_. I can honestly say that I hope I don't get deepthroated by a Grimm tomorrow.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

'What have I done to deserve this punishment?'

Not even a few minutes ago I woke up outta the damn blue, no rhyme or reason to it. It's pitch-black outside, so I know I at least got a good few hours of sleep under my belt. Thing is, even though I still feel exhausted… I can't fucking go back to sleep! What kind of curse is this?!

An evil one, no doubt. The most vile of its breed.

Finally, after minutes of trying to trick my own mind into being tired again, I give up. Not really something I like doing, but in this case it's inevitable. With the window cracked open, I can feel the soothing cool of the air against my skin, only serving to help wake me up further. Around me, the room is silent save for the breaths of my teammates.

And Yang's snoring, of course.

After the few hours we've been asleep, it's easy to notice that she's no longer curled up on my chest as she was earlier. Instead, she's managed to roll off of me, now laying sprawled out over the rest of our bed, one of her legs resting fully across my lap as she slumbers next to me. Much like the dragon she is, however, the sound of a Boeing 747 sounds off with every breath she takes. In all honestly, I'm surprised she doesn't shake the damn room with her snores! She's the epitome of ladylike, I'm tellin ya.

Thankfully, after living with _her_ being the monster that goes bump in the night for years, I've gotten into the habit of being prepared for this. Sneaking a hand into my pants pocket, I come back out with a nose strip. Ya know, the kind designed to help stop loud snoring. I tear off the wrapper easily, and apply it right on the bridge of her nose with a practiced hand, having done this many times before. While not instant, the loud sound of her breathing gradually quiets down, making the room significantly more peaceful than before.

" _Thank Oum…"_ Pardon?

A bit shocked, I quickly turn my head to view the rest of the room. To my surprise I'm greeted to the sight of Weiss snuggling further into one of her pillows, hugging it tightly and curling up under the covers. I honestly have to suppress a chuckle at the sight, and the knowledge that Yang was legitimately loud and it wasn't just because she was right in my ear the entire time. Grabbing my scroll sitting next to me, I flick it on to check the time and am greeted with the information that it's one in the morning. Just the fact that I'm awake at this unholiest of times for no good reason forces a sigh out of me.

This'll come back to bite me, I'm sure of it. Either way, I slowly inch myself out of bed, trying my best to not wake Yang in the process as I sneak out. Next thing I know, I'm dressed in slides, shin-length sweat pants, and an _actual_ flannel jacket to stave off the nippy air that I'm sure awaits me. Believe it or not, I _do_ sometimes wear something to cover up. Shocking, I know… but you can only catch a cold so many times before you give up on the completely shirtless gig. Still doesn't stop my cool ass from trying though… or from leaving every jacket undone if I have to wear one. After making sure I have my scroll, I'm out and about in the hallways of Beacon Academy at one in the morning.

I can't really say what in me thought it was a good idea to go stalk the halls at night. All I know is that something drew me out of the room, as strange as that sounds. Throughout my walk, I passed by multiple things. More dorm rooms naturally, but other sights as well. Once out of the living area, I saw large beautiful hallways, adorned with masterful works of glass as windows. Immaculately clean floors in every direction you can think of, not a speck of dust in sight. Grand arching doorways, and outer-halls left open to the outside, becoming more of an impressive balcony than a hallway in the process. Sets of staircases were _especially_ plentiful in this place.

Many different areas I passed by… and none of them really stood out to me. With each sight I passed, it became clearer to me that I was searching for something. Some _place._

Perhaps that's why I left the room in the first place?

Tens upon tens of minutes, more likely being closer to an hour at this point, passed by as I walked. The entire time, I kept up my steady pace, walking with a purpose towards something I can't seem to see. All until I found it.

The perfect place. Situated between two arcing pillars on an upper floor of the academy was a small outcropping of a balcony. Circular, and easily made to hold at the very least ten people comfortably, it was a cozy little thing. Without any form of railing, and being completely open to the sky, I couldn't really help but make myself feel at home. Making my way up to the very edge of the stone balcony I sit down and dangle my legs off the edge, now resting my weight on my arms behind me. As I look out upon the open air before me, I'm gifted with a rather breathtaking view of the very courtyard we all landed in yesterday, the docks for the airships. The sight of it at night, with the pathway lit up only by the light of a handful of lamp posts really brings a smile to my face.

 **Play Thomas Newman - Ghosts**

"It's beautiful up here…" I declare to myself, now immensely happy with my find. It's incredibly peaceful up here. The paths that I can see are empty, completely devoid of energy. The water pools that line the path are still, setting a pretty image of the sky above on its surface. In a word, the sight before me is the picture of calm.

I really do love it. Admire it, even. Moments like this are always ones to be treasured.

Steadily, almost unconsciously, my eyes drift upwards. Soon, my vision is taken over by the vastness of the sky, not a single cloud in sight. The stars shine brightly here, even despite the light pollution that should have drowned them out. Not quite a National Geographic worthy picture, but still more than enough to draw the attention of someone like me. The balls of burning matter dot the sky like crystals, painting a picture that truly draws your eyes to it. Situated in the middle of it all, the moon. Despite its _state_ … I can't deny its beauty. Full… but shattered at the same time. Everything present, but not whole. I really can't explain how long it took me to acclimate to looking up at night and seeing devastation on one of the heavenly bodies.

In all honesty… the sight saddens me. Well, at first it did. These days, I can see a certain poetic charm to it. Despite being shattered, its all still there. It's a perfect match for this world. Steadily, as I the minutes go by with me focusing my attention on the sight spread out before me, my mind wanders. From simple things, to memories, to jokes, and ultimately things I never wanted to think about again.

Even _with_ all of her rough edges and faults, her tomboyish bravado, she loved watching the night. Be it the emptiest streets we could find in the city, or even just watching the moon from the roof… she really cherished those moments. She treasured them, probably more than I ever got the chance to realize.

'…'

"Sasha would've really loved to see this." I assert quietly, my voice nearly cracking at the simple sentence.

I hate this feeling. Why did I come up here?

…

Why did-

I cut my thoughts off immediately. Instead, I actively focus my attention on the view before I go too far. It wouldn't do to let myself go like this. Not now. _Definitely_ not on this balcony.

The quiet really is nice. With it, I can even hear that stranger walking to me and sitting down on the edge, dangling their feet just like myself to my left.

"What's up, boyo?"

Why am I not surprised that he'd find me at a time like this? He's always had a knack for it. Turning my head to gaze at the mysterious man, I'm met with a _very_ familiar face.

"Pops? What are you doing here?"

Qrow 'Schee-Fucking' Branwen, ladies and gentlemen. Distributing his weight on his hands much like myself, the man next to me looks downright comfortable in the chilly air on this balcony. On his face he wears an amused grin, obviously pleased with himself at having caught me off-guard. His eyes, however, show the distinct fog of tiredness that you learn to spot the older you get. I can honestly say I didn't see this coming… which is interesting, actually.

"I could ask you the same thing, sonny-boy. What are you doing out here so late?" Avoiding the question? You should know better by now.

"Woke up a bit ago and couldn't get back to wonderland. Decided to take a walk instead." I get a nod from him at my answer, understanding bleeding into his expression quickly. We're two peas in a pod when it comes to sleep problems. "You gonna answer my question?" _And_ when it comes to persistence as well. Without a start, he rolls his eyes and answers with no fuss.

"Guess so. Just got back from a mission outside the walls, had to give a report to Ozpin. Nothing too impressive." He answers easily, now slouching further down.

"Recon this time?" I ask him.

"… how'd ya guess?"

"You're not all fucked up. Couldn't have been anything _too_ dangerous, right?"

"Hm. Fair enough, I guess." He concedes with a grunt, brushing a bit of dirt off his pant leg idly. With a slight pause, he continues the conversation. "Heard Ozpin gushing about your initiation while I was up there. Getting eaten by a Thresher on your first day of work… bad luck." He challenges the master?

"Ah, but I survived and was able to tear it a new one from the inside out. Good luck." I shoot back at him, glad to have encountered one of our hobbies.

"Nearly got ganked because of the incompetence of a partner duo, and then got placed on a team with them. Bad luck." He continues, a miniscule smile sneaking onto his face at my previous rebuttal.

"Was able to save them from an untimely death like a real Hunter, and taught both a valuable lesson in awareness with the experience. Plus they're cute! Good luck!" I say happily, completely disregarding the danger I was in. At my answer, a full-blown smile spreads across Qrow's face, and I can tell I won. Shaking his head, he gives his take.

"Got that right kid! There were some parts you could've done better… but all in all I'd say you made a decent splash into the world. Not very often that an initiate decimates a Thresher from the inside out on his first day. Proud of ya, kid!" He says with a goofy grin still on his face, nearly all signs of tiredness wiped from his red eyes as he smacks me on the shoulder. With a sneaky hand, he takes out his flask and takes a swig absentmindedly, now gazing out at the sky once more.

"Thanks pops, I 'preciate it. I actually think I learned a lot from yesterday." Without hesitation, he gestures me to continue. "If that damn thing is what we're gonna be up against, then I've got a long way to go. Not to mention my teammates… being a leader is gonna take some practice, I think."

A nod of confirmation answers me as he watches the sights. In no time at all, a comfortable silence takes over the area, leaving me to sit on this balcony with my adopted Father. What feels like minutes pass by easily before the silence is broken, surprisingly enough by Qrow himself, which catches my attention easily enough.

 **Play Thomas Newman – Brooks Was Here**

"So… who's this Sasha girl?" He asks, now staring at me from the corner of his eyes.

…

Of course he'd have picked that up. Really, it was foolish to try and keep it completely hidden from everyone… but I can't help myself. The weight of accepting the truth is still too heavy.

"Just some girl I met yesterday during initiation." I lie directly to his face, not even bothering to hesitate.

"You're lying." That I am. "People don't seek out secluded places in the dead of night to think about someone they met the day before. Who is she, Sully?" He pushes just a bit harder. I think I'm getting angry… I just hope I won't make the wrong move here. Something like that… it's the kind of thing you keep buried down for as long as possible.

"Who's Sharon Chartreuse?" I shoot back, feeling my anger bubble up beyond the weight I feel in my chest. Shock erupts on his face, quickly followed by a sharp look being thrown towards me. Instead of recoiling at the look, I level the field with a glare of my own. I'm not fucking around right now.

" _Where did you hear that name_?" He grinds out slowly, obviously angry at the mere mention of the words. It doesn't take a genius to tell that he tensed up entirely at the name, either. I answer him easily.

"From Tai when you two were arguing. A few minutes before I 'woke up' after the surgery."

"You… heard all that? And you remembered it?" He asks, getting a surprisingly quick grasp on his annoyance.

"Yea." I hope I get that skill someday.

"…" A look of contemplation crosses his face, seeming torn at whatever's going through his mind. After a handful of tense seconds, he turns away to once more look at the sky, his muscles losing their tense nature as well. "… a similar minefield, I'm guessing?"

"Something like that. Like I told you all those years ago… it's not something I'll ever _want_ to talk about. Or think about." A look of realization flashes in his eyes, followed by a swig from his flask before putting it away.

"That second grave." I simply nod at his conclusion.

"From what I remember of my past… it was filled with misfortune. Stuff that should never see the light of day, or the eyes of a person." How depressing this conversation turned out to be. At least my anger is gone. Even the weight is subsiding now.

"Still having trouble remembering, huh kid?" He asks with interest in his voice, now slouched once again.

"Yea. Names, places… even some of the people are just _gone_. I only remember a handful of things still, even after all this time. Most of them still bad." I say to him, bolstering my years old story even further. I'm nonplussed to be talking about this, honestly.

"With the way we found you, it might be better if you never remembered. Wherever it was… trauma seems to be a staple in your past." He speaks his thoughts out loud too, it seems. It's better that this lie… _become_ the new truth. All I give him is a nod of agreeance, one which thrusts us back into the comfortable silence we had before this.

It didn't last too long.

"I… I'll tell you about her someday, pops. I think I'll have to." A curious glance towards me prompts me to explain further. "I have a feeling that I won't be able to keep secrets like that to myself around here for very long. I just want more time to-"

"Come to terms with it? Force it to not burn your throat while you admit it?" He says, putting my feelings into words better than I could ever hope to. At a nod of my own, he continues, pausing only to run a hand through his hair. "I guess when that day comes… I'll match your story with my own. It would only be fair, right?" A fragile smirk that I thought I'd only ever see in the mirror passes his face as he looks out on the moon. Talks like these are scary, seriously.

"I'd appreciate that, man." I answer honestly, now a bit happy with how this talk has gone.

"I think I would too."

As the conversation peters off, I can't help but focus on a specific part of the conversation we just had. It just stands out so much, I can't help but address it before the silence is dominant once again.

"I meant what I said about my life being unfortunate. From what I remember, there was a lot of pain… unlucky." I start, getting his attention on my once more. "Up until I almost died."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Legitimate confusion? That's a fun one!

"Well… after nearing death, I met you. After that, you saved me from the brink, gave me a family, gave me a home… you even helped train me." Despite his slack jaw, I'm not quite done yet. I have to say this while I have the chance.

"For someone who thinks he's so unlucky… you've been nothing but a good luck charm since the first second I've known you. I consider that Good Luck."

With wide eyes, he just sat there for a few moments absorbing the words. Afterwards, a smile sprung up on his face, one that I noticed despite his efforts to hide it.

"I… I guess I could say the same about you, kid. Good luck, I guess."

In the warm silence that followed, I didn't last long. Despite the weight on my heart… I felt happy. Despite the depression in my mind at the thought of _her…_ I felt at ease.

I suppose anyone can be family, regardless of who they are. The darkness that greeted me when I closed my eyes for the last time that night was… comfortable.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Team ABYS Dorm Room µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 _'_ _Don't knock-up my fucking niece. We don't need another Tai.'_

This is what was written on the sticky note I found slapped onto my face as I woke up. Doesn't take a genius to figure out that Qrow wrote that. Also means he found a way to carry my heavy ass back to my dorm room, since I'm lying in my bed.

Thanks, daddo!

A quick glance at my scroll shows that it's around seven in the morning… which reminds me that I must have forgotten to set a goddamn alarm last night! Uhm… oops? I'm sure everything'll be fine though. No one else is awake as far as I can see, so I guess ya boy is getting the first shower. Before I can get up and head my way, something catches my eye.

A familiar yellow piece of paper, stuck to Yang's nose. Each breath makes it flutter which almost makes me chuckle. Once I snatched it off and read the damn thing, however, I _really_ had to hold back my laughter.

 _'_ _Yet.'_ Right under that was a fucking winky-face that almost made me piss myself.

Speaking of… I finally get off my ass and head to the bathroom. Not even 20 minutes later I'm fully dressed in my normal clothes and a bit lost as I watch my other teammates continue to be completely and utterly dead to the world. I've never been good at waking people up, to be honest. It always just ends up feeling awkward… but now it's my fucking _job._ Ya see the problem here?

"How does one wake up three girls…?" I wonder out loud, surprisingly gaining a good few twitches from just normal volume. I don't really wanna be rude on the first day to my new friends so… uhm… plan? Where for art thou? What could _possibly_ get three hormonal teenage girls to wake up from a perfectly good sleep and incentivize them to start the day? It doesn't take quite as long as I thought it would for the answer to pop into my head, and once it does I'm out the door once more with my scroll in hand.

Fifteen minutes later I bustle right back in with four take-out trays piled high with all the breakfast necessities I could really think of. Eggs, sausage, toast, some diced fruits, the list goes on really. I even managed to bring back drinks for everyone, just because I'm a nice guy like that!

…

They better fucking say thank you or so help me god I'll slap them so hard they'll miss the first _week_ of class.

Like I said… I'm a nice guy!

Moving on from signs of obvious mental instability, as I stand here in front of the door loaded to the teeth with breakfast items, I still need a way to wake these beasts up without any deaths occurring. Racking my brain to the very deepest parts, I manage to devise a plan so perfect and fool-proof, that I'm sure even Keith Flick would be impressed with my genius.

I take a deep breath…

" **YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!** "

… and I exhale.

" **AHHHHHHHHHHHH!** " Oh? It seems as if the mating call was returned by the dreadful beasts… how interesting! Some might confuse such a call for the heart-clenching calls of fear.

But that would make them a fucking idiot.

Nah, just yolkin'. In all seriousness, my little call made a wave of changes appear in the dorm room. Aside from the return call, Yang jerked up so hard that she pretty much flipped over. Weiss' jump-instinct involved launching her pillow directly across the room at the wall, heaving for breath all the while. Blake, ever the calm one, has absolutely no reaction besides sitting up in her bed. Strangely enough she didn't even scream with the others. Maybe she was already awake when I left? That wouldn't really surprise me to be honest. With three pairs of eyes now trained on me, I finish my god-level plan.

"It's time to get up, so I went and got food for everyone!" I exclaim happily, completely and willfully ignoring that I just put the fear of god into my teammates. With a large smile spread across my face, I continue. "You all got about an hour to get ready for class, so get to it."

Some of them _may_ die in the fight for the shower, but that is a sacrifice _I_ am willing to make.

"Wha- I- YOU-" Before Weiss could complete booting up her mind, she was cut off by Blake.

"We don't have class today Sully. Ms. Goodwitch said we'd have the day off after the team assignments yesterday." She explained without an ounce of anger, quite helpfully. Wonder if she's only being so nice because she has an enhanced sense of smell?

On another note… maybe I shouldn't have ignored Glynda yesterday.

"Oh. Heh, uhm… oops?" What the fuck else is a man laden with breakfast materials supposed to say?

"Wanna try that again, ya big goober?" Yang asks with crossed arms, thankfully not mad at me for my fuck up.

"You didn't even take into account the fact that we haven't received our uniforms yet, did you?" Weiss groans quietly, already trying to lay back down on her singular remaining pillow.

And no, no I did not.

"I said that I got food for all of us so that you three can have breakfast in bed!" I backtrack, putting on a veil of innocence to hide the failed timeline with a smile.

"…"

"…"

The smile is getting stronger.

After a few moments of terse silence, I start to get a bit nervous. Thankfully, Blake comes to my rescue with a roll of her eyes by holding out her hands, still swathed under her covers.

"Give me the salmon and eggs, please." She says… which doesn't surprise me in the least. Of _course_ you can't surprise a goddamn faunus with breakfast when they can _smell_ what it is!

… won't stop me from pouting about it later though. I was gonna be all smug after surprising her too…

"Sure thing homegirl." Simple enough to pass out food. Her and Yang gladly accepted their trays with a thank you to me and that was that. Weiss, on the other hand, kept her head buried under her pillow… so I pretty much just plopped hers onto her lap and went back to my bed with my own. Not long after every one had their goods, they started arranging themselves. Both Yang and I sat on the edge of our bed facing towards the others to make talking not so awkward. Blake kept herself under the covers, too busy with her food to bother. The snow cone herself ended up at one of the desks, eating her breakfast there instead.

I guess it's my fucking _job_ to make sure everyone introduces themselves like functioning adults, huh. If I don't kickstart this shit now, I'm sure I'll forget. Damn… I'm the parent, aren't I?

…

 _Call me Yung Daddy, hoe._

"So I think we should introduce ourselves." I say, trying to gage how the others feel about it. I _could_ force them even if they don't wanna, but it'd make my job a hell of a lot easier if they want to.

"Right now?" Yang asks, looking up at me from her tray.

"Yep. No better time, I think." I say as I take a bite of eggs. To no one's surprise, Weiss brings the haughty attitude.

"Introduce ourselves? I'm pretty sure we _already_ know who we all are." Ever the short-sighted one, aren't ya?

"Okay… then would you care to guess _exactly_ what my semblance is?" I say off-handedly, gathering up a healthy bit of hash brown on my fork as I do. Seeing her freeze, most likely having realized my real intentions, I continue. "People are more than just a name, Weiss. I thought out of all of us, _you_ would realize that the most."

I'm not disappointed, you are.

"… I suppose you may have a point." She concedes, gaze now completely focused on her tray.

"Great! I'll go first then!" I exclaim with a thumb pointed to myself. "I'm thinkin' we'll keep it simple for now and save all the nitty gritty for… like, our first group training session, maybe? That sounds about right. We'll do who we are, the name of our weapons, our favorite food and maybe a fun fact if you feel like it. Now, the _real_ kicker, is that after we finish… everyone here gets to ask the person _one_ question that they have to answer. Well… as long as it's not weird." I finish, already roaming my eyes over my teammates to see what they think. Seeing no objections, I go ahead and kick things off.

"Well alrighty then. My name is Victor Arcadia Sullivan, but everyone calls me Sully except a few people. My weapons are Stone Ocean, Solaire, and Queen… those being the knuckles, my pistol and my detonator. My _all-time_ favorite food a special type of pizza that someone I knew a long time ago taught me how to make. I guess for a fun fact, I made a fully functioning beach house and dock with my own hands one time!" I list off, being careful to leave as much out as possible about me. The entire reason for meeting new people is to learn about them… what fun is it when you learn everything right off the bat?

"Is it question time now?" Prods big yellow from beside me, which makes me smirk in her direction. Seeing the now sweating Xiao Long, I turn towards the other two and make an example of how _fucking_ dumb she is!

"Now as you can see, my wife-"

 ***SMACK***

"-my girlfriend Yang here just asked her question!" I say, completely ignoring the hand that slapped the fuck outta the back of my head courtesy of a cherry colored dragon. "If I were an evil man, I'd count that and be done with it. Thankfully for you peons, I'm a malevolent god." I end cheekily, smarmy grin proudly stapled on my face as I watch Blake try to hide her smile. Weiss, for her part just looks taken aback at how casually violent my lovely wifey is.

Good thing I didn't feel that!

" _ALRIGHT_ already, I get it!" Yang laughs at me, causing the snowflake to roll her eyes. "Then what did you mean by _pizza_ being your favorite food? That's kinda… weird for you."

"You remember that pizza I made for Qrow's last birthday?" Immediately her eyes light up and she gets excited.

As one should.

"OHHH you're talkin' about that super good homemade one!"

"Fuckin right I am! You know a pizza ain't playin' when you gotta eat it with a fork! Pounds of meat, veggies and cheese make for a mad slice!" I exclaim back, just as fucking excited for absolutely no reason. Well, besides that pizza. If it didn't take so much time to make I'd be eating it every day… and grossly overweight because of how filling it is.

Like most things in this sad life, it ain't healthy but it tastes damn good!

"Anyway, who's next?" I ask the room, trying my best to get back on track before I forget and start talking about my second favorite foods. Can't really abandon my own rules on the first damn turn, aye? As Blake's gaze shoots towards Weiss, a sacrifice was chosen.

"As much as I would like to ask you about your semblance… I have to admit I'm a bit more interested to know why you were carrying around a Schnee Delivery Tank, and an industrial class at that."

"Oooh, that's a good one Leggy. Makes sense that you'd pick that little bit up since you're a Schnee and all. Too bad you didn't ask about my semblance though… you kinda missed out since that little super power is the only reason I have this tank in the first place." At Weiss' regretful look, I continue. "I use it to carry around as much water as I can as 'fuel', if ya wanna call it that. Blake?" I'd completely finished my meal at this point, setting the tray aside on the top of the bookshelf near me. As I wait for my question from the hidden faunas, I watch her eye me with a critical look. I'm putting fifty lien on it right now, her question is gonna be the one with the most punch!

"How did you not only survive getting eaten, but also kill that Thresher yesterday? I've never known anyone that survived one of those things… I thought for sure you were dead."

And in the blink of an eye, I now have three sets of eyes piercing my poor head. A tense atmosphere settles over the four of us at the onset of Bella's question, and I can't really blame them. I've gotta get this over with anyway… so I might as well answer this with as much detail as possible, I guess.

Beyond that, though…. where's my fifty lien at, **_biiiiiiiiitch_**!

"Finally one with some thought put behind it. While it's a good question… it reminds me that out of all of us, you're the one that had the least faith in me to survive. We'll be working on that, but for now I'll answer your question." I comment, gearing my mind up for my next move. Can't really just bullshit this time, sadly enough.

"I missed the teeth. That's how I survived at first, anyway." She winced at my blunt answer, and while I'm sure the others had some kind of reaction, I'm completely focused on her right now. "After that, I nearly suffocated in it's insides. Thankfully, I was able to claw my way into an air pocket before I passed out. The air I found there gave me the clear head I needed to come up with a plan… but also made me realize that I had to wait." Surprisingly, I was interrupted by Weiss of all people. I would expect Yang since she's her, but Weiss?

"What could _possibly_ make you wait? Are you insane?!" I see.

"Knowledge, Weiss. I know a lot more about certain Grimm than someone my age should since I spent my years in Signal studying not only how to kill them, but their _habits_ too. I knew that Threshers never stay above ground after snatching prey. That means that I was potentially anywhere from ten to hundreds of feet under the earth. If I tried to bust out then, I would have been crushed by the weight." Realization strikes Weiss, her face paling considerably at the thought.

"So instead of jumping the gun, I took my time to set up my escape route. I used my semblance to more or less drill tunnels barely wider than a pencil all throughout the Grimm. Through intestines, muscles, and even bones I spread my ammunition as far as I possibly could and waited for my time to strike. Once I felt it lunge for something, I took my chance and let my tentacles to go wild. I tore that thing apart from the inside out, and eventually I cracked open it's shell like a- why do you look sick?"

"Uhm… is your semblance always this… gross?" Weiss asks, looking green in the face at my description of how I broke the Thresher. Instead of saying anything, I simply gesture my right arm at her glass of water sitting on the desk. A tiny gasp is given by snowball as she sees the tiny little tentacle just chilling on the surface. With the smallest of thoughts, it gives a cheeky wave towards her before I cut of the power, letting the water making it up fall back into the glass with a plop.

"Nope. It's actually really versatile, if you ask me. That was probably the most violent I've ever seen him use it. Like, period." Sunshine comments to them, seemingly unaffected by the talk which I'm grateful for. She _has_ already seen me on death's door, so I'm not surprised by how well she's taking this. Let's get this show on the road.

"Welp, that was fun! Who's next?"

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

"That was honestly a lot more exhausting than I was prepared for." I complain halfheartedly with a sigh, now laying back heavily on the bed.

"Unpacking usually _is_ a bit of a chore." Blake agrees, still sorting through a stack of books. The fact that she has _all of these_ but not a damn sleeping bag irks me a bit.

I'll keep that to myself, though. Everyone's got to have a hobby, after all!

"What is _that?"_ Says a bewildered voice, causing me to cast my gaze at the speaker. In doing so, I'm greeted to the sight of Weiss _finally_ getting her ass out of the bathroom, freshly prepared for the day ahead. Her arm is outstretched, and a single finger is pointing directly to the wall past me.

What could she be looking at, I wonder?

"I'm pretty sure that's called a _surfboard_ , Snowflake." Hold the fuck up there Yellow, who said you could use my nicknames?

I think I've spoiled her.

"I could do without the sass, Xiao Long. I _mean_ why is it on the _wall_?" She 'clarifies' with a huff, arms now crossed over her chest. I don't even have to look at the wall to know what's up there.

I put up the brackets for it, after all. Hanging on the right wall of the dorm is one of my surfboards. While I doubt it would see much use, I still ended up bringing along my Shortboard regardless. To be fair, it _is_ the more decorative of the two that I have, so I don't really see what the big deal is. It's got a nice oak finish instead of any paint, so I think it actually looks really good up there. Much better than my Longboard would… I just don't have it in me to hang up an 11-foot fucking surfboard on the wall, no matter how much I'd like to.

"Well everyone else got to decorate, why can't I Fiocco?" I ask her simply, now swinging my legs over the side of the bed and rising up to a sitting position to face her. Before the heiress can respond, however, Blake beats her to the punch.

" _Everyone else,_ hm?" I can practically see the 'superiority' in her eyes as she looks at me, still surrounded by the books she's sorting through. She really thinks she hasn't been decorating, doesn't she?

"You had me put up extra bookshelves on the walls, Bella. I'd say that fuckin counts!" I say, admonishing her. I watch her open her mouth to retort… only to laugh openly at her when she immediately closes it and goes back to her books.

"I suppose that's fair. More importantly, what is everyone planning to do today?" She asks thoughtfully, igniting that very thought in my own head. What the hell _should_ I do today?

The snap of a scroll closing drags me out of what would have been a good bit of imagination and sends my attention to the perpetrator, Yang… who is staring at me intently. I really hope she blinks soon.

"Girl talk." She announces, leaving me feeling vastly less safe than before.

Gradually, the feeling of eyes on me increases until the room feels like hostile territory. I don't even have the advantage of adaptive camouflage on my side. We're in deep here, Otacon… I'm not sure if I'm gonna make it out of this alive. These are no mere girls… I can tell you that by the way they're closing in on my dumb ass.

No… these girls are weapons.

To surpass Metal Gear!

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

"Knock knock." I say loudly into the empty hallway as I rap my knuckles against team Gradient's door.

"Who's there?" Ah, providence is most generous today. Well… aside from the girls throwing me out of the room for however long they feel like.

Literally. They damn near picked me up in a team effort.

"Hey Jaune, you're just the man I wanted to see!" I announce, quite pleased with my luck at the moment. I'd planned to ask whoever answered the door for Jaune, but it just so happens that the knight answered it himself!

"Really? What do you need me for?" He questions, a bit of confusion leaking into his voice as he stares at me.

"I got kicked out of my room for a bit, so I was thinking of heading out to Vale. You wanna come with?" He casts a bit of an odd glance back into his room, but immediately answers.

"Let me grab my scroll."

A short trip to the rocket lockers later and we find ourselves on our way to the docks, small talk being exchanged all the way. As we're about to board the airship however, a thought crosses my mind.

"You brought those motion sickness pills I gave you, right?" For the love of all that is holy, say-

"Yea, I've been trying to keep them on me here lately. Thanks for that, by the way." He said with a smile quickly forming on his face, now rubbing the back of his head somewhat sheepishly. It's a good thing that he's so fond of how we first me! I guess not many people above six feet just show up randomly with motion sickness pills the very moment you need them.

How sweet, my dude.

"No problem Jauney-boy! Us Huntsmen gotta stick together, right?" I ask back with an easy smile on my face, giving him a light slap on the shoulder without much thought to the action. Thankfully Jaune takes my little show of affection in stride instead of… ya know, _falling over_ like with Pyrrha. That would've been pretty embarrassing.

As we board and get settled for the brief flight to Vale, Jaune comes up with a question after popping some of his new favorite pills.

"Did ya have anything planned for Vale?"

I mean… not really.

"Not really?" The fucking tick is back! "I was thinking of heading over to see my friend Garret if you're up for it." A contemplating look crosses his face at my suggestion, which is what I hoped for.

"Garret?" Without needing any further prompting than that, I launch an explanation for my blonde friend.

"Yeah, Garret Gray. He owns an arms shop in Vale. He's actually the one that made my weapons!" I tell him, more or less watching him eat that particular gem up. "He's pretty cool once you get used to him. You in?"

"Sure Sully, I wouldn't mind that at all!" A few seconds pass before he continues. "So _you_ didn't make your weapons either?" Smooth as hell, Sir Knight. I hoped he'd latch on to that.

"Nah, I just don't have the skill in mechanics or anything like that. Knowing me, I'd probably accidentally make brass knuckles that explode in my face or something!" I exclaim with a heavy chuckle… trying not to recognize my joke as _most likely being a fact._

Embarrassed cowboy hours.

"Man, you have _no_ idea how much better that makes me feel! I thought I was the only one in the school that didn't know how to make a-" Knowing exactly where he's gonna go, I cut in with the same answer.

"Monster Scythe?" I finish for him with a grin spreading across my face.

"H-how'd you know?" He asks me, wide eyes looking at me in pleased surprise.

Good thing that answer is easy as cake, innit?

"Not many go through a Ruby Rose introduction without being intimidated. Kinda funny since she's so small, am I right?" I comment, finally getting a solid laugh out of the guy. He's a bit more timid than I'm used to, that's for sure. This was a definite success!

"I guess that's a way of putting it! She pretty much just whipped it out and stabbed the thing into the stone pathway. I'm telling you, if it wasn't for the knowledge that I was at _Beacon Academy_ of all places, I'm sure my life would've flashed before my eyes!" He recalls to me rather excitedly, to which I can only roll my eyes. That pretty much describes Rosie in a single statement.

She's still socially awkward to the core on her own, apparently.

"Yep that sounds like her." I say, popping the 'p' as I do. "So if you didn't make your weapon, where'd you get it?" I ask despite already knowing that answer. Come to think of it, I've been doing that a lot since I came to Remnant.

I can't imagine why, really. Truly a mystery that will haunt me to my own grave.

"Oh, Crocea Mors? Well it's actually been in the family for a real long time. My great-great-grandfather used it to fight in the war." He says, puffing up with pride at the mention of his ancestor, absentmindedly resting his hand on the hilt of his weapon.

"Really? You mean the Great War, right?"

"Yep! Grandpa used to tell me all sorts of stories from _his_ grandfathers' time in the war, and they always seemed so amazing. Defending entire villages and saving innocent people… I guess that's a part of why I want to become a Huntsman." He tells me, gushing about his ancestors and the adventures they had to tell. I can damn-near see the stars in his eyes!

"That's insane man. Any real good stories?" At that, his eyes lit up.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Downtown Vale µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

After a flight filled with fawning over war stories, we finally landed in Vale. It didn't take me long to gain my bearings, and in no time at all we were on the path to Garrett's. We walked in a pretty comfortable silence, Jaune taking in the sights and myself doing the navigating. Out of the blue however, the sound of a shop bell catches my attention for reasons unknown to me. Like clockwork my eyes were drawn to a storefront a ways up the street.

A clothing shop, from the look of it. A well-crafted looking sign hung above the door reading Zaz' Thread House… which gives me an idea.

It's not like I've got a schedule to keep today, right?

"Yo Jaune, you wanna check that place out?" I question, gesturing at the sign coming up on our side of the street.

"Uhm… a clothing store, Sully?" He inquires, giving me a raised eyebrow for my trouble. I can see the skepticism on his face.

I hope this fucking works.

"Yea, why not? Maybe you'll find something cool!"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, no offence man, but you kinda don't look too prepared for a fight. It's like you walked in off the street and bought some armor." I answer a bit bluntly, blank look clear upon my face. At my answer his posture jerks completely straight… but I think I'm just gonna ignore that I noticed that.

I honestly want to refuse the knowledge that he just revealed to me… so I will.

"I- well, I guess it can't hurt to look, right?" He concedes with a nervous chuckle, seeming to play with the trim of one of his gloves as he walks alongside me.

Silently, I just roll my eyes and curve us towards the entrance of the store, now much closer than before. Opening the door and heading inside, I'm met with the same chime from earlier, a simple bell hanging above the entrance, rung by the door jostling it upon opening. Jaune quickly follows me inside, and before the door even closes we're both rooted to the ground by the shop itself. Vertically striped walls of a nice off-white color, a counter area of impeccably polished wood, and rows upon rows of clothes. Many exotic looking fashion statements hang on mannequins spread throughout the shop, some standing side by side more common clothing of an obviously high quality. Beyond that, though, are mannequins covered in _very durable_ looking items. I can't even count the amount of leather and reinforced clothing around here… is that chainmail?

Holy fuck, Zaz ain't playing around.

"I think we just found a gem, Jaune." I say, a bit wordless despite myself. I'm not really a 'shop guy', so this is kinda beyond me to be honest. Hell, I had my clothes _shipped to my fucking house._

Jaune can only nod in agreement, eyes roaming the clothing on display all the while.

"Hey there boys! Welcome to Zaz' Thread House, anything I can help you with?" A calm, feminine voice knocks us out of our gazing and sends our eyes to the source. Behind the counter, a lady I can only describe as 'motherly' stands resting a hand on the wood. Her long chocolaty hair drawn into a low ponytail resting in front of her left shoulder gives her a peaceful air. Combined with her deep brown eyes and healthy skin tone, she's a very beautiful woman. The skirt, boots and sweater only really prove my opinion right.

Well, let's get this fuckin show on the road!

"Yo! We decided to stop in and check some stuff out if that's not too much trouble. I'm helping my boy here out, seeing if we can get him some Huntsman level clothes." I tell her with a conversational tone, already making my way over to her and dragging Jaune along with me.

Ya know, so we don't have to talk from _all the way_ across the store.

"Huntsman level, hm?" She asks with a smug smirk now resting on her face. Before she continues she crosses her arms and levels us with a confident gaze. "You're in luck Honey. Hunter level clothing is my _specialty._ "

"Then it seems like luck is _our_ specialty! A tailor as beautiful as the clothes she makes is a diamond in the rough in my opinion. Ain't that right Jaune?" Who's smooth as fuck? Don't answer, I already know!

"Well you're sure not _wrong_." He agrees, backing me up while drumming his fingers on the counter and gazing at the sights around the room. A very ladylike giggle is heard, and I'll just let you guess who it was from.

"Oh aren't you two just _adorable_!" She gushed, obviously pleased with the compliments being thrown at her like confetti. "Feel free to look around. If you need any help just let me know, dear." She says with a cheerful smile, clasping her hands in front of her.

"Sure thing!" Oh my, is that a bit of excitement I hear Jauney-boy?

And so we were off, searching through the store. While for the most part we were looking for clothes for the knight, we also took some time to check out the more interesting fashion on display. I can honestly say that I haven't seen anything like some of this… I can't tell if I mean that in a good way or not either. In the next half-hour we went through quite a bit of the shop, but in the end we managed to get something together.

"So?" I prompt.

Standing in front of the fitting room running his eyes over himself in the mirror, is the new and improved Jaune Arc. Somehow through a weird stroke of luck on his part, he managed to find a hooded shirt of the exact same colors as his hoodie. Black took up the body of the shirt… this one thankfully _without_ a big bunny rabbit on the front.

Honestly, the only reason he agreed not to wear that hoodie of his all the time was because of me telling him that since it was 'limited edition', he shouldn't tear it up on the field. Long story short, he **really** likes that thing. I mean pumpkin pete is cool and all, but when you're living under a roof with the _actual flesh and blood_ mascot do you really need the hoodie?

The shirt itself was short sleeved just like his hoodie, but it was made of a distinctly thinner material. The way that shirt breaths will _definitely_ help him avoid heat-strokes, in my opinion. The inside of the hood was a bright red orange, the same color as his arm braces. That color was repeated around the bottom of the shirt, in a solid ring around the waistline. The neckline of the hooded shirt was a bit open, dipping off into his chest and showing off his collar bones and even a bit of his traps. Believe it or not, he managed to pick out pants without any nagging from me. A pair of steel blue jeans now sat on his legs, appearing a bit worn out just for style. His jeans were tucked in to a pair of fitting boots that were capped in white metal.

While a lot changed about his look, the belts and armor stayed in place. All in all, it was a pretty sharp look. I'd probably go as far as to make him get new armor… but it's not like I'm his fucking mom or something. I honestly just wanted him to be on par with everyone else. I can't let my dude run around in worn out skater shoes while fighting monsters, can I? That would be a dick move.

"I think I like it. How's it look?" He asks, turning to face me.

"Honest opinion? I think you're looking like a real Huntsman in training." A smile spreads across my face as I say that, my statement drawing a smile from Jaune as well. As I look at him even more, however, an interesting idea pops into my head.

"Hey, hold still for a sec. I got an idea." I tell him while moving in. In response he arches an eyebrow but doesn't say anything, more or less letting me do whatever. Without too much trouble, I raise up his sword arm and release the straps holding his spaulder and remove the bit of armor. After that I do the same for the elbow guard of the same arm and take a step back, taking in the seemingly minor change.

"Ya know… for some reason I just think that looks better." I remark, a plan still forming in my mind.

"It kinda _does,_ doesn't it?" He agrees, now eying the change in the mirror. "That's strange…"

"I know, right?" I agree firmly. With another idea firmly birthed in my mind's eye, I hand him back his pieces of armor. "I guess that's that, then! Go ahead and gather your old clothes and we'll check out." As he turns and goes back into the dressing room, I head up to the counter and who I can only assume is Zaz. Once there, I ask her the question I'd come up with.

"Hey, can you do any emblem stitching?" Upon asking that, her fucking eyes lit up.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Not even twenty minutes later I'm back on track to Garrett's shop, Jaune right next to me the whole way, now toting a bag filled with his old articles. On the shoulder of his shirt, the one without the spaulder, proudly rests a freshly emblazoned Arc Emblem in eye-catching yellow. That big fuckin smile he has on his face is about to make me laugh, seriously.

Our young Knight appears to be positively _feelin himself,_ boys. I can tell by the pep in his damn step!

As we continue on, the store finally comes into view. I feel a bit of relief that I didn't expect upon seeing that the old man's store is completely repaired. Fresh panes of glass replaced the previous shattered ones, and virtually all evidence of a break-in is gone. Even the weapons he had displayed in the window were replaced, back in their place.

Guess Neo wasn't lying about taking nothing after all. That's epic.

"Garrett Gray's _Death Makers_?" Jaune asks incredulously, obviously taken aback by the 'style'. "What kinda name is _that_?"

"A **potent** one, if nothing else." I answer back simply.

"That's a pretty good word for it, Sully."

"Yep. I'm sure once you get a good look at him you'll get a grasp of his… personality?" The funny part is, I can't really put to much faith in that. Garrett's a big goofy motherfucker most of the time. At my assurance, Jaune just shrugs his shoulders at me. After just a couple more feet, we've finally reached the entrance. Like I always do, I throw the doors open and just casually stroll in like I live here. White Knight follows me, albeit with a bit of confusion at how I entered. A quick glance shows Gramps sat at the counter, toying with some kinda mess of gears and grease clasped between his fingers.

"Hey old man, how's the hammer hangin?" Naturally, my very casual greeting gets his attention. If by attention, you mean getting a snort from him that jolted his hands and caused the contraption to slip from his fingers, landing with a thunk on the counter. With his sight focused on me now, I can see his eyes crinkle up in amusement.

I've discovered that means he's smirking. Maybe.

"You know how it is, kid. Any lower it'd be scraping the ground! YOHOHO!" He ends with a hearty laugh at his own joke before gathering his bearings and grabbing a cloth to wipe the grease off his hands. "I hear initiations finished yesterday at Beacon. I'm sure you've got stories for me?"

Of course I do, what do ya take me for?

"You bet your ass, Gramps. I'm sure you've got stories of your own. Got this place fixed up in just a couple days, eh?" I grill him right back, eager to talk to my friend again.

Especially after the past few days _I've_ had.

"Funny, that." He drawled, a strange twinkle in his eye as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "While the people I hired were getting everything spruced up the other day, I went out to grab a bite to eat. What would you know that I bumped into someone." Hm?

"Oh yeah?" I say, immeasurably more elaborate than my initial thought.

"A certain shorty that we both know. And it just so happens that later on I found a lien card that easily covered half the maintenance cost slipped into my pocket." He says seriously, staring into my eyes heavily… but at the moment I'm a bit floored.

That… now _that_ is **really** interesting, isn't it? I think I _like_ this little nugget of gold!

"She did something like that to me during our spar." I say, not wanting to give away any details of _why_ there was a spar for the sake of the blonde in the room. "Except it was a scroll number. We've been keeping in touch… in a way."

Didn't really mean to say it like that, but whatever.

Still staring at me hard, I watch as in an instant his eyes crinkle back up. Loud gruff laughter follows soon after.

"I guess I can't blame ya, Sully. Hell, if I was twenty years old again I'd be chasing after that girl tooth and nail!" Another laugh follows his little confession.

"You got a thing for the dangerous ones, dontcha?" I ask him flatly. I really should have seen this coming from _him_ of all people. Seriously.

With the most serious expression I'm sure he was capable of mustering, he turned to me to give his answer.

"I love a woman that can kick my ass."

…

"Yea, that's fair." I concede.

"Yep. So who's your friend there?" He asks now, suddenly veering off the semi-established path and onto another one entirely. Following his gaze, I find Jaune keeping himself busy by staring at an arrangement of varying sword blades hung up on the wall, studying them with rapt attention.

Good thing, too! Would've been awkward if he was just standing there while we talked.

"That's one of the other new team leaders. He's a bit of a tactician, actually. During initiation I watched him lead his team into bisecting a _big ass_ Nevermore! It was pretty badass." I'm not lying either. You try seeing a bird the size of a damn airplane getting sliced in half and see how well you keep your cool. It's not easy, I'm gonna tell you that right now! As I turn my eyes back over to Garrett, I'm hit with a spur of the moment urge that I can't really bring myself to resist.

"Hey Gramps… you think you have anything that could help him out? Don't tell him, but I can tell he doesn't have the same training all the rest of us do." As soon as I finish, Garrett adopts a thinking man posture, running a hand through his thick beard in thought. For a solid few moments he stays that way, contemplating, before he shoots his eyes back to me.

"I guess we'll see, won't we?"

Huh? He's gonna fucking _wing_ it? That's more of a _me_ move, if I'm being honest.

"Hey kid!" He barks out, waiting until he had Jaune's attention before introducing himself. "The name's Garrett Gray, care to tell me yours son?"

"It's nice to meet you, my name's Jaune Arc." He answers back politely, now making his way over to the two of us. I wonder how gramps is gonna ease into something like this?

"That's a good name kid! Anyway, Sully tells me you're a team leader, right?"

"In a way, yeah. I think I'm still absorbing that bit, it's kind of a shock." He states sheepishly, something he seems to do a lot of. When he finally came to a stop next to us, the old man launched his question.

"Hm. What would you say is your biggest weakness?" Garrett asks gruffly, staring at Jauney-boy head on.

"What the fuck?" Did I say that out loud? Whoops!

"Eh- Excuse me?"

"You know, compared to the others you saw in initiation. Where would you say you fall short?" He clarifies, staying steady behind his question. Somehow, despite the blunt nature of the delivery, Jaune takes it in stride. His gaze falls to his boots, obviously thinking on something that I'll never know. Moments pass like this with everyone remaining quiet, I myself waiting for his answer.

"Mobility." He comes forth finally, with a confidence in his answer I kind of expected from the beginning.

"Is that so?"

"Yesterday I watched someone jump more than ten feet in the air on muscle alone." Jaune drawls bluntly, half lidded eyes completing his blasé attitude. A bark of a laugh comes from the old man behind the counter before wordlessly he heads through the doorway behind him. Instead of acting surprised by the fact he already has something, I just rest some of my weight on the counter instead.

"I don't think I'll be able to afford whatever he's gonna bring out here, Sully." Jaune states simply, now pulling a copycat on me and leaning on the counter as well. Don't look so worried, my dude.

"Ahh, don't sweat it man. I've got it covered." I assure him. Too bad it pretty much does the opposite for the poor guy.

"Dude! I can't just let you spend so much money on me like this!" Quit your belly-aching and accept my expensive form of friendship, you nave! I fix him with a look that stops him in his tracks before explaining myself a bit more.

"Look at it from my perspective. On your team is Ruby Rose, someone I've lived with for more than a few years at this point. She's like a little sister to me, man." I see the flash of recognition in his eyes, but I pay no mind to it for now. "Now she's co-leading a team with you. You might not see it just yet, but in a way her life is in your hands."

"That's uh… kinda intense…" True that, but the sooner you face the more intense facts the sooner you can accept them.

"It is, but I think you can handle it. Now that the teams are decided, I'm counting on _you_ to keep her safe, ya know?"

And right on cue, Garrett walks back in through the doorway with something interesting in his hands. Setting them on the counter surprisingly without a loud metal clank, he stands back proudly.

A pair of metal leg bracers, formed to fit over the feet and trailing nearly all the way up the shin. Sturdy curved pieces of metal come from the top and trail down to the heel, helping to distribute weight from the look of it. The style and form of the thing I'm looking at reminds me heavily of greaves… maybe just armor in general. A lot of steel and just a dash of leather. Truly, describing the contraption before me is _difficult_ to say the least.

"Boys, let me introduce the Launch Bracers! Mark III. With these babies you'll have more hops than a pale ale! Yohohoho!" He announces with pride filling his voice.

Beer joke aside, that'll actually do for a description.

I only have to take a glance at Jaune's awed expression to come to a conclusion.

" _SOLD!_ "

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

"Where the fuck did you get a patty melt from?" I ask, almost flabbergasted at what I'm seeing.

"Uhm, I ordered it? It was on the menu dude." Don't be so flippant with me, Jaune!

"But wasn't this an ice cream place?! That's against the rules…" Hearing my half-hearted complaint, a wide grin spreads across his face.

"Okay, then they do ice cream _and_ delicious sandwiches. What's the big whoop?" He asks once again, punctuating at the end by taking a heaping bite of his burger.

The cheeky shit! Spending the entire time to this parlor tripping over himself to thank me, and once he's got a leg up he abandons me!

…

 _'_ _I've never been so proud of my boy.'_

"The big whoop is that I'm over here eating ice cream for lunch and you've got an _actual meal._ " I should have looked at the menu! Fuck!

"If it's really that big a deal, do you want a bite?" He asks, something I can tell he actually _means_ just by his expression. Needless to say, I backed down. Not everyone can go blow for blow with me like Yang or even Qrow can. Don't wanna freak the guy out, right?

With a heavy sigh, I give him an answer.

"Nah, I'm just playin' around man. Thanks though." Afterwards, I end up taking a glance out the window of the shop. I suppose after this we'll head back to Beacon. The girls should be done with… what ever the fuck they threw me out for. Maybe.

The tink of glass hitting the counter directly next to me catches my attention though, my gaze quickly drifting towards what was supposed to be an empty seat.

On the counter is a glass sundae dish, filled to the top with a strawberry variant of its namesake. In the seat, I find something short and smug! Who could've possibly foreseen this?

"Hey shorty! What the fuck is poppin'?" Sitting next to me, much to my surprise, is Neo. Adding on to the surprises, she's not disguised at all. Well… as far as I can tell! To my eyes she's the tri-colored woman with the fetish for white thigh-high boots. I know she's not stupid either, so she must not be in a position to be caught as her regular self. All I got for my greeting was an innocent smile and a wink before she ate a big spoonful of her sundae.

We both ignored the now curious Arc for the moment.

"Seems we've got a bit to talk about once we get the chance, aye? You're more interesting than I thought!" A smirk this time, hm?

What a cheeky cunt.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Warning, Warning! This scene contains graphic content of a mature nature! It's not** ** _super_** **integral to the story itself, so if you feel like edging more on the side of keeping it clean then you're free to skip it. It's up to you.**

 **Beacon Academy – Blake Pov µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

As I open the door to the teams' dorm, I let out a sigh of relief. Just a few seconds after closing it behind me, I get an urge which I easily give into. Stretching my arms high above my head, I find myself on the tips of my toes. A groan of discomfort quickly follows, all thanks to the lingering soreness in my muscles. This particular training session lasted far longer than I was prepared for, but the feeling left behind isn't much of a problem. I've spent years getting used to the feeling of exercise, after all.

However, the extended training session seems to have actually paid off. A quick glance around the room is all I need to confirm this, and it shows that I'm on my lonesome for now. Sully hasn't come back since Yang forced him out this morning to my knowledge, so he could be out doing who _knows_ what. Probably hugging a stranger… if that counts as an activity? After Yang recruited us under the disguise of girl talk, which turned out to be _nothing but questions about cup sizes,_ she fled the room to talk to her sister. Good thing too, because the look Weiss was throwing at her was dangerous to say the least. I wasn't too happy either, if I'm honest, and I'm getting the feeling that Yang might be more perverted than I had her pegged for.

While that says a lot… I'm not surprised in the least.

My partner Weiss decided to spend her day in the library. From her words, she wanted to 'see how the collection stacks up'. As pretentious as that sounded, she didn't even flinch before heading off.

None of that matters now, though. Instead of worrying over them, I'd much rather just enjoy my privacy for however long I still have it. To kick such a thing off, I peel my now sweaty vest and crop top off while strolling to my bed, along with my scarf. With my magnetic backplate having been left in my rocket locker, all of this was made simple. Soon following them were the ribbons around my forearm as well as the detached sleeve. With my upper half now completely bare aside from my bra, the air hitting my exposed skin gives me a small outbreak of goosebumps. Not bothering to focus on the sensation, I drop the articles in a neat pile next to my bed to be picked up later. The shoes are next to be discarded, swiftly followed by a familiar pair of shorts and stockings.

In the end, I'm left in my undergarments. Casting a glance at them, I'm not greeted to anything to special. Nothing fancy like lace… but I admit I _do_ think the little bows are cute. Speaking of, I still have one more thing to remove! Casting a quick, admittedly shady look around the room just to be unnecessarily extra sure I'm alone, I untie the bow. Once done, I take the silky length of fabric between my hands and take a second to really look at it.

This ribbon… it's the only thing that keeps what I am a secret from everyone.

A quick shake of my head expels those thoughts before they can get deeper, leaving me to lay the strip on the bed with a gentle hand. With the air prickling my skin nicely, and all my clothes assorted and ready to be dealt with later, there's only one real thing to do.

I say it's time to gather some clean clothes and take a hot, steamy-

Before I can go about my well-earned next step, something catches my attention. That _something_ , being the sound of the door handle jiggling. Immediately, a chaotic storm of thoughts took over my mind. The fact that I'm exposed in more than one way, the feeling of panic, embarrassment, terror, and even a half-cocked thought of jumping out the window were all there. The one thought that was chief among the rest, however, was a simple one.

' _I can't let anyone see me like this!'_

Whether that was about my faunus traits or my exposed skin, the thought rings true for both. As panic grips my heart at the sound of the door knob turning, plan after plan runs through my mind. Some were complete failures, and others were much too complicated or time consuming for me to use. Right as I felt on the _brink_ of exposure, however, a solid plan hits me.

Under the bed! It's so obvious!

In seconds I'd scrambled my way under my bed, successfully hidden away from whoever walks through the door. As I sit here in triumph, facing the rooms entrance by lying on my front, the milliseconds stretch into what feels like minutes. Now in a state of hyperawareness from the shock of nearly being caught, I'm oh so aware of the sweat still clinging to my body running cold. That along with the cold of the wooden floor staying flat against my stomach and thighs… let's just say I'm covered in goosebumps. Finally the door opens, and to my dread _two_ pairs of shoes walk through the threshold. Despite the sound of my thundering heart echoing in my ears, I try to listen in.

"So that old man's shop is fixed already?" A distinctly feminine voice asks its partner.

"Yeah, I'm pretty happy about that. Told me someone dropped some lien as a gift to help with the cost apparently." Answers a much deeper voice.

With both of them being so familiar, it's easy to figure out who they are. Seems Sully and Yang came back at the absolute _worst time possible._ What kind of luck is this?

"Swiping that card of yours again, are ya?" Yang asks in such a way I can practically _hear_ the hand on her hip. While Sully begins walking over to their bed, Yang instead stays turned towards him by the door.

"Uhm, _actually_ , it wasn't me at all." A brief silence permeated the air, only to be brought to an end by a snort from the man. "No, seriously! It was actually someone I met in Vale that did it, believe it or not."

Now that I think about it, I can't believe that I didn't recognize them by their shoes! Watching Yang shift her weight in those boots, it seems so obvious now. Even the boots Sully just took off are pretty recognizable! How many people that wear those can even get into the room?

Light footsteps sounding out against the wooden floor sends my attention back to Yang, whom apparently turned around towards the door. A brief sound of clinking metal later, and I'm hit with the realization that the door has just been locked.

I guess _no one_ can get into the room _now._ I'm getting a strange feeling about this…

"Fine, I'll believe you… if you do something for me." I can't really tell what emotion is behind her voice right now.

"Okay sure! What do ya need Sunshine?" He inquires honestly. I can feel the smallest of smiles spread across my face at his eagerness to help her… I guess I'll admit it may or may not be cute.

"Well big guy, we never _did_ get the chance to celebrate passing initiation!" That's what that tone was! For some reason, her voice is a great deal silkier than usual.

"Yeah? Did you have an idea in mind?"

In seconds, the smile gets wiped from my face, instead being replaced with wide eyes. The reason? Well… I just saw Yang's jacket hit the floor by her feet. The jacket was joined quickly by a pair of gloves, tossed carelessly in a pile. Why would she be doing that? Hopeless curiosity bubbles up in my chest, and despite my better judgment I try my best to act on it. Scooching myself closer to the edge of the bed, I can just barely see past the frame. Thankfully, my pile of clothes helps conceal me a good bit, giving me confidence that they won't be able to spot me. The first thing I see is Sully's slack-jawed expression, his eyes trained firmly on the other party in the room. Trailing my eyes over, it's not hard to figure out exactly why.

Yang stands as beautiful as ever, her upper half now only obscured by an orange crop top. With one leg now cocked in front of the other, thighs tightly together, one hand rests nicely on the hem of her bike shorts. With that hand firmly in place, the other becomes a traveler. Enticingly, her hand draws trails over her curves both bare and clothed alike. Gradually moving upwards, it goes past her taught stomach, past the swell of her breast, and eventually past her neck. Only briefly stopping to caress a few scant areas, its resting place is finally found in the form of Yang biting down gently on her fingernail.

"Oh." I agree, Sully.

"Yep." Yang confirms, confidence filling her voice to the brim.

"I see." As do I, homeboy. I'm a bit scared… I think I'm along for the ride. Never even in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I'd _watch_ a couple make love in person before having _my own_ first time.

This sucks!

"You'd better." She confirms once more. Using nothing more than a practiced hand, her boots are off and she's walking her way to Sully, a certain sway to her hips that isn't usually present. As Yang walks passed the bedpost of the footboard, her scarf is removed and hung there with perfect timing. Sully, for his part, just keeps his eyes locked with hers with a big smirk on his face. In a flash, they're now face to face… or as close as they can get. For what feels like long seconds, neither makes a move, instead they keep their eyes locked with large smiles on their faces. Just as I was beginning to get unnerved, Yang shot into action. A swift hop into the air leaves her level with Sully, and in response he catches her by the bare skin of her thighs. Under the firm grip of his hands, the flesh of her thighs noticeably molds itself against his fingers in what I'm sure is a pleasant feeling.

Hot shame washes over my face at the realization that a spike of unclean pleasure was sent shooting up my spine at the thought of the sensation… but I push it away for the moment. The action before me is much more important.

Having been left straddling his midsection, Yang wrapped her arms around Sully's muscled neck while I wasn't paying attention. Not a second was spared, as the next thing I knew the two had shot in and found each other's lips in a moment of heated passion. While smashing their lips together in hot desperation, I'm free to notice Sully pushing Yang's most precious parts tighter against him, only kept separate by the thin fabric of the bike shorts. Yang helps along in the endeavor, gyrating her hips in an effort to get even more flush with his abs.

I'm _also_ free to notice homeboy's growing bulge… something I immediately force myself to stop thinking of. I must be seeing things, honestly. There's no way he's packing what I _think_ I'm seeing.

While the heated make out session drags on, I try my best to draw my attention to something other than the arousal in Sully's shorts. The only thing I can think of to distract myself, however, happens to be just how similar to a certain hobby of mine this is.

 _'_ _This might be even more intense than my books…'_ As blasphemous as that thought is, a part of me feels justified in my thinking. If that part just so happens to be the one that's getting physically short of breath just _watching_ this, then so be it. Hell, even my _mind_ is on the agreeing side! All the evidence I need for that is the song that I can almost hear… one that I actually enjoy a lot.

 **Play 09 Andy Williams – Can't Take My Eyes Off You 1967**

After an eternity, the kiss finally comes to an end. The two are left panting as they separate, trying their best to gather their breath after the intensity they just experienced. I catch my own surprise at the action that Sully takes next, though.

"You're sure?" He asks while looking directly into her eyes, a light flush on his cheeks. While most of me is still engrossed in the thoughts of what I saw… another part of me is touched by his forethought, his _control_ over himself even in a situation like this. Wordlessly, and with a blush far surpassing his, she reaches down with her left hand to her knee-high sock. Much to my surprise, more at the sheer _smoothness_ of the action than the item itself, she pulls back a what I can only assume is a condom in neon green wrapping. With a wide, happy smile on her face, she gives him the answer.

"Absolutely."

The look of amusement on his face-

"That one of the 'flavored condoms' you laughed at last time?" He asks with a positively _ecstatic_ tone.

-could be trouble. That's about right, isn't it?

"Uhm… well… funny story about that actually!" She laughs nervously, looking a bit shifty eyed.

" _Oh?"_ He's seriously going from hardcore make out tactics to teasing the very same woman? _These two are kinda weird._

"I, uh, got worried that I might feel uncomfortable cuz we used it for _that…_ so I read the box…"

"And what did this box say?" This smug guy is _actually_ doing this.

"That… they were… neon, ehm, colors." She verbally shrinks on herself, unknowingly watching alongside me as we see a grin spread across Sully's face that is positively _predatory._

"Well! _Who coulda guessed?_ " Not backing down this time apparently, Yang only rolls her eyes before offering her ultimatum.

"If I admit you were right, will you shut the fuck up and love me?" Is this how they do foreplay?

"That's all I needed to hear!" A flurry of discarded clothing follows after his excited exclamation. Socks and bandannas were throws from both of them. The only accessories that got an ounce of respect were Sully's watch and bracelet, which he set safely on top of the waist high bookshelf between our beds. During this time, I'd nearly completely spaced out. The only thing on my mind at the moment was the sight of Sully's _deliciously_ cut muscles. The definition and _mass_ present all the way from his wide shoulders to even his calves have my utmost attention. In all honesty… I'd have to say my favorite is his chest.

Part of me in the back of my mind is completely ashamed at my transparent ogling of my teammates… but there's really nothing I can do to get out of this situation. At least, not at this point unless I wanna let them know I'm a faunus. Or scramble out from beneath my bed nearly naked. Honestly either situation is a loss, so I've made the executive decision to at the very least enjoy the view… however shameless that makes me.

That's why I've also got my eyes trained on the blonde. Her long hair is a given beautiful sight, along with her pretty face and hourglass figure that she shows off with her outfit. Surprisingly though, those same clothes that highlight so many of her womanly features actually _hides away_ how wide her hips are. In short, she's a true bombshell in about every way I can think of.

A snap, however, finally makes me catch myself. My eyes search for the source of the sound, and following Yang's gaze leads me directly to it. The sight of what I saw makes me completely freeze up in anticipation… and just a bit of apprehension.

Sully is resting his hand at the waistline of his shorts, having just unbuttoned them. In what feels like a deliberate act of slowness, he takes his time unzipping them. Then he takes the next logical step and lets them fall into the grasp of gravity. Once they hit the ground, he simply steps out of them. Seems like a lot of detail to give someone taking off their shorts, right? Well… that's just because I'm trying to distract myself.

Apparently I wasn't seeing things when I noticed that bulge of his. No, if anything it looks even _more_ massive out of the restraining fabric of those jeans. The heat on my face feels nearly unbearable, but it could probably be matched by the blush on Yang's cheeks. Really, the only difference between us that I can pick out is how my jaw is nearly hitting the floor… and _she_ just licked her lips instead.

I'm feeling in over my head here.

"You waiting for something?" Sully asks, closing the distance between himself and Yang who's now sat on the edge of the bed. Yang only rolls her eyes, still with a smile, before giving him her answer.

"Well, a bit of groveling would probably be nice…" In response he actually laughs at her joke in such an intense moment. These two _can't_ be real! To my ever-lessening surprise, Yang gives off a laugh of her own before finally removing her top. Naturally my eyes are drawn to her breast as they bounce freely, and silently I admire them. A younger me might have been just the tiniest bit jealous of them, but I honestly can't be happier to say that I don't feel even a tinge. For anyone that _would_ be jealous of them, I can see why. Their shape is perfect, and without a doubt a symbol of successful womanhood. I'd honestly even say they were erotic… if only ever in my own head. Topped with pert, cute pink nipples, I can't find a flaw about them.

Not like my own are anything to scoff at, but a girl can admire right?

"Fine, fine! Laugh at me if you want, but let's get this going!" I guess she's getting impatient? To be fair, they don't know when Weiss will get back… or me, actually.

Despite her intention to get going, I find myself surprised when she shoots up off the bed and pulls down her bike shorts, purple low-rise panties going with it. Not even a second later she uses her foot to fling it away, somehow managing to make it not look awkward. Much to my annoyance, before I can get a good look she's turned away, now in front of Sully.

Wait… 'to my annoyance'? This really _is_ a dangerous game I'm stuck in, isn't it?

Pushing my inner turmoil aside, my eyes become laser focused as Yang slowly drops to her knees, Sully looking insanely slack-jawed at the action. As Yang reaches her fingers up to rest on the hem of Sully's underwear, I can't help but notice just how _strained_ he is against the fabric. It's undoubtedly stretched at this point. While staring intensely, I still manage to notice my own hand reaching for my chest. I couldn't find it in myself to give even the briefest of struggles with the sight before me. With my hand having pushed the fabric of my bra out of the way and now giving attention to my right breast, I can't help but revel in the pleasure that's building up.

In a swift motion, Yang slams down her arms down, dragging the fabric with them.

' _Oh my fucking_ _ **god**_ _._ '

My brain stopped working. The _thing_ that's now free to the world very nearly smacked Yang in the jaw once the elastic band passed, only being saved by an inch of space. Despite my own broken mind, Yang doesn't seem deterred in the slightest. Not a hint of worry showed on her face as she brought the condom wrapper up to her mouth and bit down on the corner. After tearing the packaging open with her teeth, she rolls the protection down snugly on the shaft throbbing in time with his heart beat. Hell, her hand doesn't even fit all the way around it!

What kind of man has a _monster_ like that in their pants?! This is like something off the extranet!

It's all I can do to not only reign in my thoughts, but also the gasp from escaping because of the sudden intensity of the once calmer hand on my breast. Yang's next move was to place a small peck on the covered tip before hopping up back to her feet.

This is a completely different game now. In the words of Shirayuki from Ninjas of Love: Frostbitten Heart… ' _That's no dick. No! THAT… is a_ _ **cock**_ _._ '

 **Play MISO – Take Me**

I couldn't honestly agree more with those words.

With my eyes trained in on the obvious, I shift my weight from my hand to lying on my shoulder instead. With that, I now have a free hand. This heat is making me sweat… bad thing is, it's not even hot in here. My hand travels down my stomach, leaving whispers of touch all along the way that make a shiver rock up my spine.

"You're open!" Yang all but yells, strafing around Sully only to push him onto the bed. A humorous snort was all she got for her efforts as he landed on his back. Not too long after, she pounced. Landing hands and knees above him, she leans in once more for another session of kissing. _That_ isn't what has my attention though. Their position couldn't give me a more perfect angle, because I see _everything_ that I couldn't before. Wet arousal damn near coats the inside of Yang's thighs, showing just how excited their games got her.

In all honesty, I can't say much about that because I'm not so different. The depravity of my spying, combined with the _actual spectacle_ and my own playing… my panties are soaked through. Instead of going right for the gold, I let my hand dance around it. Gently fondling the inside of my thighs and growing rougher with every passing thought, my desire to touch myself only builds up further and further.

Another sight to behold is the symbol of male virility I'm nearly schlicking myself to at the moment. The blood of this man is keeping that engorged monster nearly straight up in the air, resting firmly against Yang's deceptively soft looking ass. Every throb I see against her puts just that much more unhinged arousal in my tank. Apparently I'm not the only one to feel such a thing either, because before I realize it Yang is now rubbing her most precious part against his length.

' _This is_ _ **absolutely**_ _more intense than my books!'_ I think I could lose myself in this pleasure if I'm not careful…

Too bad I'm too into it to care at this point. Oh well.

Before long, they break apart for air. While the rubbing stopped, it's very obvious that Yang wasn't satisfied by just that. Without waiting even a second, she'd firmly planted her hands on his broad chest and gotten to her knees. Her shaven, erotically puffy slit was likewise planted just before the tip of his cock. This feeling at my core is driving me desperate, _needy_ even! I slip my panties down to my knees, just barely able to wait to start for real this time.

"You ready, beach bum~?" She sounds completely out of it. I can't really deny that _I_ am too… but I can at least take comfort that I'm not the only hopelessly horny one here. That's not weird, right?

As I progressively lose my mind, Sully takes the time to get a grip of her waist.

"Whenever you are, Sunshine." He's calm? No. I think that's just love in his voice.

Watching Yang plunge down on his rod was a moment of devious realization for me. As I saw her tight lips spread apart to take his cock, I felt nothing but the perversion of heat in my body. I swear if I were blushing any worse I'd be generating heat waves, and I _definitely_ felt it. Desire pooled around my pussy and I couldn't help but try my best to sate it. As she thrust herself down on what very well could've been even _more_ than 10 inches of pure man, I finally gave in to my desires and slipped a finger inside my aching slit. Because of the intense sensation, I can barely suppress my gasp of pure pleasure. However… something tells me I might not have to worry about the sound I make anymore.

"Uuuhhaa! Fuck!" Yang's pleasure is as clear as the expressions on her face. "Just taking you inside hits _all_ the best places!"

AKA: loud.

Sully doesn't really say anything, but I can practically hear his smile even through his silence. Like a woman possessed, Yang starts riding him like a horse. Sully helps her with motions of his own, thrusting up into her core in time with her bounces to fit even more of himself in while she cries out in increasingly intense pleasure. The meeting of their hips makes a loud smack with every thrust, and even that puts more wood on the fire burning in my womb. Finally paying attention to my rock-hard nipples, the hand down south pistons in and out furiously leading to me letting out a quiet breath. This entire situation has left me sexually frustrated… I'll be damned if I don't use my lowered sense of dignity to get my rocks off to something so hot! This entire time, all I can think about is the delicious sight before me!

"Sully~! You _have_ to tell me… how does it feel?" The blonde manages to ask between thrusts and her own squeals of labored pleasure. I'm honestly a bit surprised she can even manage to think of a question while riding him with as much fervor as she is.

"Sopping and completely tight, if that's what you're asking." He answers with a good few grunts between before retreating back to silence. That means he's consciously keeping quiet… what a strange quirk.

"No, that isn't what I mean. I already _knew_ that~." She says with a husky tone of voice, one that's been growing since she first took that beast of a cock inside her. Understandable. Perverted as it is I'm quivering just at the thought of something like that.

"Then be more clear?" He says back noncommittally.

"How does it feel to know one day I'm gonna let you pump _all_ that _thick fucking cum_ into my womb?!"

That even got _me_ to pause briefly. I'm almost sure that has to be the single most raunchy thing I've ever heard someone say out loud in my life. The pure excitement she said it with too… she's really into this. The movement on the bed seems to have stopped too, but obviously not from lack of effort on Yang's part. I can see the muscles in her thighs strain, trying to lift her up for another thrust down. Despite her efforts, she remains flush with him, completely sheathed. The only clue as to why is the intensified grip Sully now has on her waist.

Without warning, Sully sits all the way up on the bed. As a result he's pressed completely against a shocked Yang, I can read her emotion from the fact that she's pretty much frozen in place.

That look on Sully's face… in a word I'd call it intimidating. Thing is, the burning intensity between my thighs hasn't waned at all. In fact, it grew just a bit at seeing his face. Not sure how to feel about that, honestly.

Once again wordlessly, he hops onto his feet and carries Yang with him. His hands carry her weight by her thighs, leading to her instinctively wrapping her legs around him and her arms around his neck. This is intense.

"You're gonna 'let' me?" I can't tell if it's an act or if he's legitimately put off by her wording. As soon as the thought passes of course, he's laughing, proving the question. I'm assuming he sees the blonde isn't in any state to respond because he continues as soon as he recovers from his mirth. "It's really cute you think you're in charge here." He comments innocently enough, in spite of the fact that he's buried balls deep inside her.

"Huh? You wanna run that by me agai-Hooou!" With the delinquency dripping into her tone, I was sure the moment was over for everyone here… but it turns out she was silenced easily enough. After two powerful steps to face the window, thus allowing me a side view of them, Sully makes his move with that same innocent expression on his face. Lifting Yang up by her thighs, he continues until the tip of his cock is just barely still in her entrance, then slams her down. Immediately the blondes breath hitched, a squeak of surprise the only thing that comes out. Her expression goes completely blank because of that motion, her hefty breasts bouncing healthily with the movement.

It takes me a second or two to realize just what his game is. The sheer _power_ of his position hits me full force, more than reigniting the flames of my desire. Another thrust is given by two of my fingers at the thought of the sway he now holds over this woman…

' _This is so hot!'_

"I know just as well as _you_ do that I could've _filled you up to the brim_ on our very first time _,_ and you would have loved. Every. _Second_ _ **of it.**_ " Every punctuation was another thrust, and the expression on Yang's face quickly changed from nothing to complete pleasure.

Easy to read, but in such a situation I don't think anyone can blame her.

"You would've even begged me for more…"

Just like that, they're off. Sully putting his all into not only his own thrusts, but Yang's as well. Very clearly, he's enjoying himself if the smile and look in his eyes are anything to go by. Yang, of course, is drowning in pleasure. Her breasts sway and bounce erotically with every thrust down onto his cock, and that wide perverted smile hasn't left her face since she began. As he undoubtedly hits every pleasurable spot possible by slamming her down on himself, she continues to spout out profanities loud and dirty enough to completely drown out the telltale sounds of sex… and some subdued gasps for air of my own. She's even _drooling._

Is it hot in here?

The entire time I've been watching with laser-like intensity, focused on nothing else but the sexy sight in front of me. I can't remember a time when the lips of my slit have been more drenched, and the feint, sloppy sounds of what I know to be my own pussy only turns me on even more! Not loud enough to be noticed by anyone but me, and definitely not louder than Yang, so I'm safe. Still though… the spike of near-crippling pleasure shooting through me is almost enough to get me to blow my top. The sound alone of my shlicking combined with the sight of those two- fuck! I'm getting close! Instinctively, I start working my poor underappreciated clitoris out of desperation for a climax.

"Oh gods! You're just _slamming_ so deep inside my fucking pussy!" Yang cries out, interspaced between the thrusts and her own moans, to which Sully just increases the intensity of his monstrous thrusts. They're both positively slick with sweat, probably more from the activity itself than the exercise. "Don't you stop! I'm about to-" Completely off beat, she suddenly presses herself as tightly as possible against his chest in an effort to get as much skin on skin contact as possible. With her face frozen in a silent shout of pleasure, it's not hard to figure out what she finally hit.

I'm only a few more ministrations away from my own. Heat is clouding my mind, and the dam holding back the greatest of pleasures is barely holding strong at this point. With hazy, lust filled vision I watch Sully thrust himself into Yang with the power of a jackhammer only five more times before pausing completely. With him staying firmly deep within her, something happens that knocks Yang off her 'O' and back into the real world… or at the very least back to cloud nine.

"Sully~! Oh, that _feeling_. Every spurt is like a goddamn smack against my womb! I think I'm gonna cum _again_!"

…

The dam broke.

Rubbing the bundle of nerves under my fingers violently, I can't stop my legs from shaking at what I can probably say is the most intense orgasm I've ever experienced. Even the hand pawing at my breasts becomes more desperate to bring just that much more pleasure in any way it can, like it has a mind of its own. Nearly a solid minute of intense, blinding pleasure is all I knew until I came to. A bit sticky, sweaty, and definitely with labored breathing I finally regain my senses. Once most of the haze was cleared from my mind, I actually 'woke up' to a much different atmosphere.

It's clear that I'm not the only woman who came to her senses… but the expression on Yang's face isn't one of post-sex reveling. It's one of worry. Why?

"Is something wrong, yellow? I didn't get too into it, did I?" Exactly my thoughts Sully. Well, minus that last part. I'm pretty sure that was fine, did you _see_ how turned on that got her?

"You… _like_ doing this with me, right Sully?" What? Why would she be asking something like that after what they just shared?

"What? Of course! Why would you even ask something like that? Are you okay?" The worry I knew by now would be in his voice doesn't fail to appear… and it seems our thoughts are mirroring each other. That's fair, I guess. That just means our reactions are normal.

"Well, the thing is, we've done this twice now…" At Sully's nod, she continues on. "Both times, you've been almost silent! I know it's a strange thing to be worried about, but I just can't help it."

"That's what this is all about?" The relief in his voice is palpable.

"Huh?"

I mean, I guess I'm curious. In a _way._

"Yea I do that on purpose because the thought of listening to myself moan is gross to me. _Major_ boner killer."

 _Excuse me._

"That's… pretty fucking weird. I mean I'm relieved and everything, but really?" I agree fully.

"We're at a school to learn how to kill monsters for the survival of humanity and faunus kind all across the kingdoms. I think people like us are entitled to a few quirks, this just happens to be one of my more major ones." I… guess? In a _very_ round about way he's right. Whatever way you look at it though, he's definitely not wrong. Yang seems to not be put off by his defense though, so that's good I suppose.

"If you say so." She concedes with a shrug before leaning in once more with a dangerous smile on her face. She's… she's not going to- "What now, hubby?"

"Ready for round two?"

…

That's it. I'm really going to die here. I've completely accepted it.

Damn!

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Chapter 8 µµµµµµµ END µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Omake µµµµµµµµµµµ ABYS Dorm Kitchen µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Play Filthy Frank – Chef Song**

"What's up motherfuckers, today I'm gonna teach you how to prepare my Hashbrown Casserole from scratch!" I shout unnecessarily to my audience of two, making them flinch at the unwanted blast of sound. Sitting across from me at the bar stools pulled up to the 'preparation island' in my little kitchen are Blake and Weiss. Next to me, my faithful assistant Yang awaits eagerly as always.

"…"

"… that's why you and the brute in female skin dragged us here?" Asked Weiss, a positively dead look on her face.

"Yes!" My girlfriend and I answer in sync, butterflies and rainbows abound in our response. Blake rolls her eyes heavily at us, now resting her head in her hand and elbow firmly planted on the counter. Weiss, on the other hand, just crosses her arms and pouts… probably because she may or may not have been hit across the head by the doorframe when Yang fireman carried her out of our room.

Thank fuck for aura, am I right?

"Well, impress me." Blake commands with a lazy wave of her arm, causing a smile to spread across my face.

"Right! First thing you should _always_ do, is preheat the oven. This one needs it to be 350 degrees." I say, turning the knob on the oven until it reads the correct temperature. "That way once we're done with the prep, we can just shove that bitch in there and forget about it."

"Lovely way of putting it, Victor." Comments Weiss dryly.

"Right? Anyway, next up are the ingredients, of course! Yang?" I prompt her, causing her to give a mock salute and bring out the goods.

"On it! Two cups of shredded cheddar, six beaten eggs, a can of evaporated milk, bit of salt, bit of pepper, a whole chopped onion, and a whole chopped bell pepper. Last but not least, the star of the show! Two _pounds_ of shredded potatoes." She lists off, setting a bowl containing the ingredient of choice for every item said on the counter with a deft hand. As you might guess… I've been trying my damn fuckin best to teach big bird over here how to cook.

Surprisingly enough, we're making a decent amount of progress. A far cry from when she managed to make pancake batter turn into **literal** building materials. Like cement, for example.

"Two _pounds_? That sounds like a lot." Blake says off-handedly, now staring at us oddly.

"Ah, but it really isn't at all. Potatoes are a bit tricky. What you guess might be two pounds could easily be something like four or even _five_ pounds. Two pounds is hardly even four potatoes." I comment automatically, completely ignoring the oddly mixed expression of both complete boredom and curiosity resting firmly on their faces. Already moving onto my next task, I go about pouring all the dairy and baby-time spices into a large bowl I had prepared, mixing them together easily. Once done, I move on to the more solid ingredients.

"Next is mixing. Pretty self-explanatory, if you really need help then you're completely hopeless in the kitchen and should evacuate immediately." Informs Yang, surprisingly sure of herself despite her… _record_ in the kitchen until recently. She's almost _definitely_ getting a big head because of her success in our last attempt.

I'll have to crush that cockiness out of her. But later, right now I should head to the next step!

"Now that it's all mixed together, you just grab some lube and go to town." I wonder if I said that right? We'll see.

…

Ah, the bulging eyes of Blake say otherwise. Uh oh.

"Yeah, and there's enough here for everyone to get a try at it, too!" Yang says happily while bending over to look in the cabinets underneath the counter, only digging us further into our grave. What's that look for, Weiss?

"Well, don't get _too_ excited just yet, Yang. We still got another step left before that, remember?" I announce, trying to draw attention away from my little mistake before the girls latch onto it and destroy me. Thankfully, my faithful partner comes to my rescue.

"Oh yea! I almost forgot!" She says, popping up from her position inside the cupboard of pots and pans… apparently oblivious to the fact that she's now wearing a sauce pan on her head.

What the fuck is life.

"Most people don't, but just before _our_ climax, we add just a…" She starts, now for some reason raising one of her legs into the air in a perfect example of a standing split. Despite how much I appreciate the view I'm getting, I can't help but wonder… why- "… little bit of KICK!" She roars, dropping her raised leg with a good amount of force. In less than a second, the kick impacts the bowl of ingredients, shattering the glass and sending uncooked mush in every direction.

Why would you do this, O Wife of Mine? What might cause you to commit this grave act against the gods? _Who has angered you?_

While Yang and I _absolutely_ didn't come out without any mess on us, I'd easily say that our two spectators came out much worse. On the part of Weiss… the poor girl looks like someone slam-dunked her face into a bowl of biscuits and gravy, bits of shredded potato and pepper now sticking out of her nose.

Poor missus potato face. Rest in peace.

Blake, however, was a bit… odd. The messy projectiles didn't hit her as hard as snowflake, leaving her virtually untouched aside from the stringy mess of ingredients now caught up in her hair. _That_ isn't really the odd part, though. Even from here I can tell that her thighs are being pushed tightly together, her hands fidgeting heavily in her lap as she sits there. A deep blush runs through her cheeks, turning them a rosy red that stands out against her pale skin. I can see her eyes are dilated… which is kinda weird honestly. Is she breathing heavy?

Wonder what's up with her?

"Ehm… uh, then the last step is to pull out the pre-made casserole that you prepared in advance for… failure." I say, now at a loss for words at the sheer destruction caused by my unwitting girly-friend… and the attitude of Blake after getting her hair made a goopy mess. While I'm out of it, I thankfully don't forget to pull out the steaming Hashbrown Casserole I had prepared earlier in the day and set it safely onto one of the only clean portions of the counter I can find. Still without a mind in my fucking head, I give some advice to the girls of my team.

"Go ahead and clean yourselves up. No one eats at my table without clean hands, and you all look filthy for some reason." The wet smack of Weiss's head hitting the counter is all that answers me.

…

"So… too much kick, then?"

 **END of Omake µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 _Wow. That was a lot of fucking work._

 _Before going on, I got a few more announcements. I've been working on another story while taking breaks so I don't get burnt out too fast, and I've been debating on posting it here or not. It's a Jaune-centric story, but it's not connected to this one at all. I just wanted to have a bit of fun with it, so it's not gonna be anywhere near as detailed as this one. Chapters are gonna be shorter without a doubt, so there's a good chance I might be able to upload those a bit more often than this. Just let me know if you might be interested in reading it I guess._

 _For the question of the chapter I usually do foods or drinks, but I'll do something different this time. I've been thinking of maybe making a twitter page or a discord where everyone can talk about the show, any fanfics they've found that are really good, or even stuff not related to the fandom like their favorite games and stuff. I guess it would be like a new generation of that old spacebattles forum, right? Just lemme know if you'd be interested in a hub like that, and I'll drop a link or a handle on my page or something. If not, what are your favorite kind of sweets instead?_

 _Finally all that shit's outta the way!_

 _What did ya think? Eh? EH? Not too bad in my opinion. I think this chapter was pretty fun to write, honestly. Then again, I haven't written a chapter where I was having a strictly bad time. I hope you all liked it!_

 _Also once again, I have no intention on making this story focused on smut or anything like that. Maybe if it ties into the story I'll throw another one out there, but for now just enjoy that little bit. I'll probably end up doing another one for the 200,000 word mark when we hit it, but that's a bit away for now. Beyond that, Rest in Peace Blake._

 _I'll see you all next time, motherfuckers-that-I-call-my-friends! Take it easy._

 _Shore out_


	9. Hagfish Hearts

_Boo motherfucker! Bet you didn't expect to see me so soon, did ya?!_

 _…_

 _But yea I'm back again. Apparently I've hit my groove too, because I'm practically trucking at this point when it comes to writing! I'm feeling amazing! It definitely helps that I really love writing this story for everyone, I don't think I've lost inspiration since I started._

 _Think of this as a present that is hopefully me getting my writing act together a bit more._

 _Anyway, I've got big things planned not just for this story, but for many more to come in the future. I hope you all might feel up to supporting me when that time comes, because I honestly couldn't ask for better readers than you all. This chapter takes a more serious tone, and I hope it helps display just how much I've grown ever since I first started writing._

 _Let's move onto the newest comments, yeah?_

 _Lord Adorable – I'm glad you like my stuff my man! Thanks for leaving the comment too, those really make my day. Hope to see you around some more!_

 _Fat Future Cat – lmao_

 _amiin12a – Your wish is my command, homie_

 _Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch – Thanks my man, hopefully this one finds your notifications this time. (I usually turn to cereal after a hangover myself, btw. Hope it wasn't too bad.)_

 _Smutty part… yeeaaa not my best work I'd say. I'm honestly not too into stuff like that but I thought I'd try my hand at it, ya know? Same reason I made that short story: to get a grasp on characters or situations. I actually thought about straight up redacting that part of the story after I posted it, but we'll see how it goes. I think sexual stuff is cringey in general, so if you say it wasn't too bad I'll take your word for it since I'm biased._

 _It might be bad, but cunt is a fun word! Yeah in most places it's considered real rude and stuff, but I don't care about shit like that. I tend to curse a shit ton, so stuff like that I just find funny. I have been using it since I think the second or third chapter though because I like calling people cheeky cunts._

 _The reason? Because people ARE cheeky cunts._

 _Yeah you're right on the money with my definition of sweets. Could be anything from hard candy to chocolate or even snack cakes, just depends on the person I guess. Tim Tams are pretty good though, cheers mate_

 _Guest – Ahoy, mi boi! Favorite story, eh?_

 _I hope you know you just made my week by saying that. That's really flattering my man, thank you very much! I'm supremely happy with that Qrow scene, so I'm more than stoked to know you agree with me. I feel like I'm quickly finding my niche between jokes and heartfelt moment, and I think it keeps the story pretty fresh. Yea, no kidding about 'those' scenes. I usually don't read that stuff either, but when in Rome do like the romans do. Thought I'd at least get some experience in writing something like that, ya feel me?_

 _As for the drink, not bad at all. I know exactly what you mean too, sometimes you need a kick in the pants via drink. And as for the platform, I'll definitely be making one. I'll probably start with something like a twitter, but I'm still debating which direction to take it. I look forward to hearing from ya again, hopefully soon!_

 _BTW the real jaune story is coming in hot, I've got it mostly fleshed out in my mind and it turns out it might be more substantial than what I thought. Maybe even a proper story_

 _Managed Dragoon – Well get ready for some more feels, this time courtesy of the team!_

 _PS… don't tell anyone, but I'll make sure you're on the reception list for liver donors ;)_

 _0-Tengetsu-0 – Well surprise surprise, I'm back and better than ever! I'm glad you're still having fun reading my stuff even after nearly a year, this has honestly been one of the happiest years I've ever had if you don't think that's too weird. The Lemons are absolutely gonna be a once in a while thing. Hell, I went through so many phases of 'finish it' and 'delete it from existence' just making it that I was iffy of even posting it in the first place, so I'm glad you agree with that._

 _I'm also glad you enjoyed the character interactions, I think I've gotten a lot better at them over my time writing. Jaune's the main character of so many good stories on here that I've kind of just gotten used to pandering towards him, so I'll have to keep a reign on that in the future honestly. I think I can do it though._

 _Thanks my man, and I'll be sure to keep it up!_

 _SirenAtlantica – Ah, I see you're a man of culture as well. Say, are you going to be eating those cherries? If not, hand them over! I love them._

 _rero rero rero rero rero rero rero rero rero rero rero rero. Ah, Zank Yu. I suppose this is where I say GUDBAI, my water tower is right over there. Until next time._

 _…_

 _Yea, moving on from that, comments are done now._

 _Just as a quick announcement for those that were wondering, that short story I posted the other day was basically just a practice segment so I could get some experience in writing mentally unstable characters and 'evilness' just for the sake of being evil. Nothing too serious or anything, just a quick thing I thought up one day listening to hardcore gang-shit music and letting my imagination run wild. You know how that goes, I'm sure. I guess the thought was that not everyone has a backstory that has driven them to where they are, as much as I like that. Sometimes, people are just bad because they like being bad. That's not even a story thing either, in many cases that's real._

 _Anyway, I suppose it's time for the chapter, isn't it? Well don't let me hold you back any longer, have at it and have some fun!_

 **Chapter 9 µµµµµµµµµµµ Hagfish Hearts µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Another day gone, another day where I'm the first one ready in the morning. I'm not sure why I'm surprised after yesterday, but whatever. After uh, _last night,_ the window was left open so the room could air out before anyone came back and noticed it. That means that as I try to dress myself up in this spiffy new outfit, the _unrelenting anger_ I feel at this fucking tie is being swept away by a nice breeze.

Beyond that, the uniform I found magically placed in the wardrobe over night was pretty alright. The shoes are shined, the pants are pressed, and the vest is fitted perfectly. All in all, I guess I look like a handsome young man. The blazer is a bit much, in my opinion… but then again I'd be running around barefoot if I could get away with it, so I'm not the best person to ask when it comes to higher-class clothing.

"Fuck it! I'm _so_ done with this!" I whisper harshly to myself, finally giving up and stuffing the neck trap in one of my pockets. I don't really wanna wake up the girls just because I can't get the tie right… which actually brings my next dilemma to mind. Turning away from the mirror and exiting the bathroom, I'm greeted to the sight of my teammates still dead to the world, just like yesterday.

Thing is, I don't really feel like being an alarm clock or a butler for the rest of the year. I'll have to do things a bit different today. They're grown women, I'm sure they can get their own fucking food!

Quickly before I brainstorm on a plan, I pat down my pockets to make sure I have everything. Scroll, 'wallet', and that annoying strip of fabric. Pretty much everything I need! It doesn't take me long to come up with a vague idea of what to do next. I'm not gonna wait around for them all the time, so the only logical step would be to head off to where food exists. Just as I'm about to exit the room however, an entertaining thought comes to mind.

' _I don't want to be completely heartless… I'll leave them a note!'_ As silently as possible, I go about grabbing the three things most necessary for something like that. Those being a sticky note, a pen, and one of my slides. Writing a quick and simple 'get ready for class' on the sticky note, I recap the pen and affix the note to my slide, then start heading for the door. Once I had the door opened, I kept it ajar with my foot and took aim. With a swipe of my arm, the slide is sent sailing through the air with just enough force, hopefully, to wake someone up.

Before it even came close to hitting Yang, I was out the door and sprinting down the fucking hallway. Truthfully, I didn't stop sprinting until the doors to the coveted food room were safely in sight… but I'll never admit that and you can't make me. What I _will_ admit though, is that the morning trek outside on the way between buildings is pretty nice. Once I'm through the doors, I don't even bother paying attention to anything around as I head directly towards the food line. Despite my lack of attention, I _do_ notice that there's no one to wait behind… but I don't dwell on it. Giving the old pepper lady from the other day a hello and getting not only one in return, but a great bowl of yogurt, oats, and I'm pretty sure cantaloupe, I move on my way. As I re-enter the cafeteria from the line, I actually take a moment to survey the room… only to be gob smacked.

"Oh." That about sums it up. The damn room is almost completely empty, and I can't spot a single team of first-years anywhere around. There _are_ some full teams busy fueling up for the day, but no one I particularly know. Just before I sit down by myself, however, something catches my eyes.

That something being a magnificent bushy mustache.

Yea, to my shock I pick out Professor Peter Port sitting at a side table having himself some breakfast all alone. It's a bit odd to find a teacher eating in the student cafeteria, but I suppose there's only one way to find out why. With great strides, I make my way to his table quickly and without hesitation sit down directly across from him.

"Yo Professor! How ya going?" Upon hearing my question, the white-haired man looks up from his breakfast of beans on toast… which is the most fitting breakfast I could ever see him eating, honestly.

"Ah! Fairly well, young man. How are you this fine morning?" He asks back with squinted eyes, which I'm sure is his natural state of being. His voice was tinged with surprise and also a bit of excitement, something I can relate to. I doubt he gets random people eating with him very often, being a teacher here and all.

"Not bad at all, Professor. Just making a pit stop for some fuel, I see you're doing the same." I comment in a conversational tone, already digging into my meal.

"Quite so, young man. While in the field we might have to face the sorry reality of going into a battle without a hearty meal in our stomachs, at a place such as this we can avoid missing out on the most important start of the day!"

"True." I answer simply. "Do you always eat in the student cafeteria, or is it just to scope out the new students that start today?" In response, he fixes me with an interested look.

"Very perceptive. Yes, most of the time I 'fuel up' as you say in the commons designated for teaching staff, but every great now and then I decide to migrate here so as to observe the students. Every teacher has their own methods of doing this." That's some interesting info there, Sir Port! I can understand how exactly Ozzy and Glynda go about that, and now I know how he does… but how would a teacher like Oobleck do it? "What was your name again?"

"Oh, it's Victor Arcadia Sullivan, Professor. Everyone calls me Sully though, so feel free to call me that instead if you feel like it." I answer him, giving a shrug of indifference towards the end.

"Sullivan? You must be the one Professor Ozpin mentioned, the one that had the tangle with the Thresher!" So Ozzy-boy's been bragging about me, aye? Cool!

"Got it in one, Professor." I confirm, busy polishing off my breakfast.

"Hmmm… quite a formidable beast, if I say so myself. A rare one, as well. Throughout my entire career, I've only had the chance to kill a metaphorical handful myself. Over half of those were in the dunes of Vacuo, actually. That however is only because the species is less heavily policed in Vacuo due to the size and relative desolation of their deserts. Everywhere else they are killed on discovery by a specialized Hunter squad." He says offhandedly, rubbing a hand over his chin while starring deeply into his cup of coffee.

Yea, I'm gonna need someone to explain to me how this guy is considered boring again? I seem to be having a stroke.

"This is excellent! Since we both seem to be finished, I'd like for you to accompany to my classroom so we might exchange our stories! You're in my first class of the day, and we have a few hours until then. I have no pressing matters to attend to, so what do you say my boy?" He's really excited about hearing this story.

Who am I to deny? Making friends with one of the Professors isn't something I'll reject in the first place anyway.

"Yea sure dude! It was awesome!" I believe this is the start of a very informative friendship, if that little tangent of his was anything to go by. This shit's _very interesting_ to me, after all if you know the enemy you can figure out how to kill them.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Exactly a few hours later, both of us are completely invested. Throughout the first hour and a half of being here, I more or less begged for more of his stories and knowledge on different types of Grimm. Needless to say, I was hooked almost immediately. Books are all well and good, but you can't really compare to first-hand accounts. After a while though, Professor Port felt like he had shared more than enough for one day and started pestering _me_ for the obvious.

"So you used this semblance of yours to tear through it's flesh? That's marvelous! How did you manage to escape, however? You can't be telling me that you followed a tunnel of your own making to safety?" To my surprise, he's completely and utterly enraptured in my little story.

Maybe it's to be expected?

"Well the surface tension of any water under my control is much higher than natural, so high that it can crush and penetrate through even concrete and the like. I just had to get enough 'hands' so that I could get a good grip on the seam of bone plating down it's body. All I had to do then was tear it open like a lobster shell." I'll admit to the big smile on my face. I still think it's pretty cool, even if I didn't see it myself. I tried my best to get Weiss to explain how it looked to me, but she got green in the face and started to look like an ogre.

An ogre that was about to blow chunks, at least. Not sure if that counts, but it's what I got from her.

"…"

"Do I have something on my face?" I ask him genuinely, a bit put off by the sudden stop.

"Sullivan my boy we simply must go on a hunt together at some point. I feel I must see these skills of yours in action." Excuse me?

"I hate to say it, but I think you're overselling me a bit Prof. It was mostly luck that I survived in the first place. Besides, I can't use my semblance like that without a risk of health problems anyway. It's usually a lot smaller scale than that." As confident a person I am, I'm no professional Hunter. If I didn't have a super-charged fuck-off power up my sleeve, I know for a fact I'd be deader than a fucking packet of freeze-dried squid.

Or octopus, now that I think about it. See what I did there?

…

Do you?

"… Son. You just told me you ran at an adolescent Thresher head on to save two people." Is he getting blank with me? Don't you give me that shit Port, I'm _right_ to be humble!

"I'm sure they would've done the same thing for me." I knock back, despite hoping to the gods that they wouldn't have. If the positions had been reversed, they would have rushed in and gotten _all_ of us swallowed or something. Not fun, trust me.

"Hm. Even so young man, your actions even if a bit reckless show a determination to help the helpless that should be cultivated in our line of work. _That,_ is something that you can trust me impartially on." He throws back with a tone of finality, clearly convinced of his reasons. Before I can respond, the door was opened and some of the more unimportant students started flooding the classroom.

"My my, it seems it's nearly time for class to start, Mr. Sullivan! You should find yourself a seat, we'll have to continue this conversation at a later date." Immediately after, I give him a nod and take my time to find a seat. I more or less work myself into position to block and entire empty row, so I consider my spot found. With my big ass sitting in the seat closest to the path, no one even _tries_ to squeeze past me.

I'm going to ignore what that says about me.

As I keep myself busy by reading the diagrams on the walls that give a basic breakdown of some of the more common Grimm, I'm pretty much just waiting for my teammates to stream in.

…

Any second now.

…

 _Just_ fucking wait for it.

…

"Did I miss or something?" I feel that's a pretty legitimate question, right?

Right on cue however, Yellow barges through the door with an obvious pout on her face. Following her were a gaggle of Schnees and Belladonnas, one of each to be exact. Soon after they enter, the blonde is swirling her head this way and that, searching the rows of seats for something. Then she locks on like a targeting system directly on me.

I simply give her a cheeky smile and a wave. I'm beginning to get a feeling that these super powers have drastically affected my survival instinct.

In response she narrows her eyes even further at me, something I'm pretty sure can't be too comfortable. I just watch as the three of them make their way over, Yang all but stomping and the other two watching on with amusement clear by the smiles on their faces. While waiting, I kept my eyes locked with theirs, passing the time by drumming my fingers on the rich wooden, gold-trimmed desks.

Once they get close, I rise up from the bench that wraps around much like the desk itself.

"Morning." I greet, smile still on my face. As a pair, the black and white duo greet me back and make their way into the reserved row. Once they were seated, there was more than enough space left for the four of us. Yang however, did _not_ give me a greeting back. Instead, she kept her faux-icy eyes on me and passed me completely, moving into the row. Before I could follow, she sits down at the very end, right in my way.

Then the cheeky motherfucker looks back up at me. Instead of bothering with a 'confused' response or something, I just go about exploiting her fatal mistake. As I said earlier, the benches are curved just like the desk, and so they're a solid piece of wood instead of being segmented or separate. Yang, as good as her attempt might have been, ended up leaving a few inches on the very end of the seat. Sadly, you can't hope to hide such a tactical advantage from a Sully that's properly calibrated! Wordlessly, with the only hint of emotion being my raised eyebrows, I sit as much of myself as I can on those few inches. Slowly, and intentionally awkwardly, I start scooting further onto the bench. As I slide, I obviously end up pressing into Yang's side. Instead of stopping there though, I just keep on moving. Without too much effort, my legs are effectively sliding not only me, but Yang further along on the bench. The entire time, she kept both her legs and arms crossed. Ya know, in terms of body language that means she's supposed to be completely closed off! You learned something.

"Ya come here often?" I ask Yang, my biggest and goofiest smile spread proudly on my face while still sliding. Seeing her strain not to crack a smile at my pickup line is like watching someone waiting for a sneeze: hysterical. As I finally park Yellow next to Blake, I allow myself to move back a few inches to get out of her bubble.

"You smacked me in the face with that slide this morning…" HA- uh, I mean oops? I didn't almost laugh for real at that, no sir. I'm completely innocent, I swear.

"Yeah, she almost set the curtains on fire after that." Deadpans Blake, clearly not interested in Yang's pity act. It's getting harder to stop this laugh; I need to say something before they put me in a damn coffin.

"I didn't really mean for _that_ to happen specifically, but it got you all up didn't it?"

"I… suppose." Begrudgingly answers Weiss.

"Then there you go. Don't worry though, I'll make it up to you all later." I pander, not giving away any details of my master plan for the day. That exact action is why I see curiosity on all of their faces, before one of them ask me about it though a certain team makes a very nice distraction for me. Pretty much falling through the door is team Gradient, just in time for class. Not a single one of them slows down until they found a seat, and by found I mean they took up the entire row in front of us.

Lucky fuckers didn't even have to try and look.

"Well, now that everyone has _found a seat,_ I'd say it's time for class to officially commence!" I can feel the embarrassment coming off of their team in waves. Nearly coming to class late? How shameful. You should be more like the most perfect role model in existence and talk with the Professor for a few hours before class begins about Grimm guts!

"Monsters! _Deeeeemons…_ prowlers of the night! Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names. _I_ , on the other hand, merely refer to them as prey!" He's theatrical as fuck. I hope he imparts some knowledge of Grimm here soon, or else Ruby might just stay asleep _in the front fucking row_ like the smart cookie she is!

A short, awkward laugh from Port later, and he continues on.

"Upon graduating from this prestigious academy, you too shall refer to them as I do." You can tell he's a real professor because he's pacing and lecturing at the same time! "Now as I was saying… Vale, as well as the other three kingdoms, are safe-havens in an otherwise _treacherous_ world. Said world is absolutely _teeming_ with creatures that would love nothing more than to _tear you_ limb from limb." The scratching of pen on paper is only made louder by the fact that Weiss and Pyrrha are the only ones in the room participating. To be honest, I didn't even bother bringing paper or anything to this class.

"That, is where _we_ come in." He announces to the class, straightening up considerably. I'm prepared for what's coming, I do believe. "Huntsmen!" This technique is a Sullivan special that has been passed down the bloodline since literally three minutes ago! " _Huntresses._ " He says in a lower tone, turning towards Sunny with clear intention to call her out. Sadly for him, he met eyes with me by accident, with my head resting in the palm of my hand. Instead of shying away from the squinted gaze, I stare back with as much intensity as I could. Through the unrelenting eye contact, he manages to glance at Yang only once before his eyes come back to me.

I quirk my eyebrows at him with an unimpressed expression on my face.

"Ah… ehrm, YES! Individuals who have sworn to protect those that cannot protect themselves! 'From what', you ask? Why… the very WORLD!"

"EEEEEYUUUUP!" Who the fuck is this guy? I love him, and I want to be his friend.

A tense, uncomfortable silence followed in his wake, however, so I'll have to avoid that particular friendship. Sad times, I know.

" _That_ is what you're training to become. But first, a story! A tale of a young, handsome man…" I think I see what they meant by boring. I apologize and agree in that order for doubting in the first place.

"Me!" Of course.

As he goes off on his tangent, I take a gander at my team to see how they're handling the first class of Beacon. Yang has nothing but boredom on her face and is passing the time by wiggling her pencil between her fingers. Blake is… reading. What _else_ would she be doing, I mean honestly? Out of the three of them, Weiss is the most interesting. Still attempting to make occasional notes, but obviously struggling. Her eyes keep flitting between her paper and Ruby in the row below us, who's busy scribbling away on her paper.

To be honest, I'm pretty excited for that masterpiece of hers to make a debut.

Weiss' glances don't stop at her, however. To my surprise, she's also shooting formidable glares at me! More specifically, the area in front of me. Instead of having paper and pen out on the surface like a good student… my portion of the desk is entirely blank. I didn't bother bringing any to this class, but for what I think is a pretty good reason.

She'll get over it. Let's check in and see what the Professor is talking about?

"-And although he smelled heavily of cabbages and rat poison, he also quite enjoyed-" No thank you, I think I'll be fine without that part of the journey.

The sound of snickering drew my attention easily, something that was echoed by two of my teammates and also Pyrrha, seeing as she was right next to her. Without any regard for secrecy Rosie held up her doodle of Professor Poop, forcing Pyrrha to cover her mouth with a hand before anything less than ladylike was revealed about her. Sunny just giggled openly, and I had to fight to hide a chuckle of my own from getting out. The problem child, as is quickly becoming the trend, is Weiss. The look she's giving that piece of paper is nothing short of disgust, which if you ask me is just a _little bit_ extreme. She _is_ still fifteen snow cone, cut the kid some slack.

" _AHEM._ " The ever so subtle clearing of a throat cuts us out of our fun, and brings our attention back to Port. The smallest traces of amusement are present on his face, but he continues. "Since we seem to be having trouble with paying attention, I suppose I can just this once cut to the moral of the story. After all, we can talk about the battle of Stilles Tal at _any_ point!"

Pause! I know for a _fact_ that he hasn't mention Stilles Tal until just now. I may not be taking notes, but I can recall that much at the very least. The offhand mention of a completely unrelated topic, and during such a seemingly useless lecture, can only birth a single realization.

So that's his game, is it? I do believe I've found my very first assignment, and it was so cleverly hidden too! As the saying goes, if you don't seek the knowledge yourself, why would you bother to retain it at all?

"Now the moral of the story is an easy one to decipher. A true Hunter must be honorable!" Weiss' glare intensifies. "A true Hunter must be dependable!" Calm down leggy, you're gonna pop a fucking vein! "A **true** Hunter must be strategic, educated, and _wise_!" What the hell are _you_ looking at, little miss Thresher bait?

"So! Who among you believes themselves to be the _embodiment_ of these traits?" Port asks critically, already swiveling his head around the classroom in search of a volunteer. He didn't have to wait too long.

"I do, Sir!" Weiss announces, throwing her hand into the air like a flag.

" _Well_ then! Let's find out. Step forward, and face your opponent." He says simply, gesturing towards the Boarbatusk laden cage. Weiss, with a look of determination on her face, then exits the room. I exchanged glances with both Yang and Blake, and none of us look too stoked about how she was shaking as she left. While I was sure I was in for a mind-numbing wait, the minutes thankfully passed by quickly. Soon enough Weiss had returned and taken her place opposite the rumbling cage, the sounds emitting from it sounding like a dying animal.

"Go Weiss!" Cheered on Yang, apparently putting her worry aside enough to support her.

"Fight well!" Blake continues, holding up a piece of paper with our team name in highlighter on it. Ya'll really tryna put me on the spot, huh?

"Uh- grit those teeth and kick some monster ass!" I shout at her, slamming my hands on the desk like an ape. You like that shit? I made it up literally last second. _She_ obviously didn't if the way she shot me a glare is anything to go by.

"Yeah! Represent your team, Weiss!" Ruby also cheers, keeping an air of good sportsmanship despite being the leader of a completely separate team. She's a good girl, that one.

"Can't you see I'm trying to _concentrate_ , Ruby?!" Scolds Weiss, immediately making Ruby fold in on herself because of her tone. After muttering out an apology, she eyes her desk instead of watching the field. Filthy cur, we shall cram manners into you soon! That attitude of hers has to go!

I honestly thought we'd come to a bit of an agreement, but I guess she still needs work if she doesn't want to leave waves of pissed off people in her wake. This sucks.

"ALRIGHT! Let the match-" He starts, lifting his weapon up with a might one wouldn't expect from a man of his stature. In a single swing, he lops off the lock of the gate and finishes. "-BEGIN!"

Without the support of the lock to keep the door of the gate steady, it fell heavily onto the floor. Not even a second after being given an exit did the beast inside take the opportunity. A Grimm with the body of a boar rushed out with an alarming amount of speed for something its size, setting its sights rather obviously on the first thing it sees, that being Weiss. Once the Grimm's advance had brought it close enough, she dodged out of its way with a spinning flourish not unlike that of a matador. Before departing from the confrontation completely however, she leaves a glancing blow against the beast's large tusk, unfortunately not doing much of any damage. After a brief moment, both opponents are once again facing each other, and the calm of the field allows me a clear view of the Boarbatusk. It's a wild, filthy looking thing. White and black like all other Grimm, it's sides and hooves are adorned with armored plating with large swaths of uncovered flesh. Three pairs of tusks, with one pair measuring in feet, are covered in blood red tribal markings that give off an unsettling appearance. Not as bad as its four fucking eyes, but still intimidating nonetheless. It's many razor-like teeth are dripping with saliva as it sets its gaze on the Schnee heiress once again.

It is my firm opinion that Boarbatusks are very ugly. Fight me.

"HA! Wasn't expecting that, were you?" Quips the Professor, drawing but a second of attention from the snow cone herself. _She_ probably didn't expect it, but I am a fucking god and I know everything. Checkmate!

Not really. Could you imagine? If so I'd already be rich from bringing future technology to the past.

"Hang in there Weiss!"

The charge is back, the Boarbatusk rushing once more towards its prey. The difference this time is that its prey rushed forwards as well, not fearful in the slightest. Just as they were about to collide, the beast jerks its head to the side, successfully trapping Weiss' weapon by the grooves of its metal between the larger tusks. In the ensuing struggle for the weapon, there was no shortage of people chiming in with comments. I stay quiet, but I'm sure that doesn't stop Weiss' blood from boiling any hotter. In a moment of distraction Mertynaster was thrown behind the Grimm by a powerful jerk from its head, leaving the girl completely unarmed. The Grimm then takes advantage of her discoordination and punches her in the torso with the full force of its muscles behind its tusks. The force of the blow sent her tumbling heels over head, landing on her hands and knees.

"What will you do without your weapon, young Schnee?" Port questions, seemingly invested in the battle now.

The Grimm once again broke into a charge, only to be dodged by its victim. Without much time to slow down it was sent careening into the wall of wood that made up the desks and onto its side. Not one to waste time, Weiss makes a dash of her own and retrieves her weapon.

"Go for its belly! There's _no_ armor underneath-" Ruby chimes in again, trying her best to be helpful… however obnoxious that might seem to someone like Weiss.

" _STOP_ telling me what to _DO!_ " Called that shit like a winner at the horse races. I see she has a large amount of trouble keeping focused when presented with something _other_ than the Grimm she's fighting. It's honestly a miracle she hasn't been killed yet.

I'll admit that I'm not the greatest at keeping my train of thought steady either, but _fuck!_ At least I don't take my _eyes_ off the monster trying to kill me!

…

 _Recently._

The boarbatusk then pulled off a move resembling a circular saw, tearing its way towards the fuming Schnee Heiress. She didn't bother to dodge. Instead, she used her semblance to defend to great effect. A circular shield of glyphs appeared just fast enough for the Grimm to bash its head savagely into it, sending it tumbling backwards onto its back. Weiss then uses an impressive bit of acrobatics to backflip into the hold of yet another circle of glyphs, keeping her suspended above the ground. She has her sights obviously set, glaring into the weak point of her opponent with frightful determination… and just a bit of seething anger. In an instant, she shoots herself like a javelin towards the downed Grimm, stabbing her rapier all the way through the filthy creature and leaving her breathing heavily against the floor.

The Professor belts off a few lines of congratulations for her performance, then dismisses the class for the day. I can't be bothered to focus on that right now though… I'm more focused on the way she storms out of the room. How should we play this one, Sully?

"Sheesh. What's with her?" Asks Jaune, looking a bit put off by the attitude presented by the heiress. As my team of Yang and Blake shoot each other looks, a plan hits me. I rise up to my feet, now taking notice of Ruby's eyes following her out of the room as well. Wordlessly, I make my way out of the room. As I pass her, I ruffle Ruby's hair a bit and shoot her a smile.

"She's part of my own team, Rosie. I'll take care of it." I say this with confidence, trying my best to put her at ease about the entire situation. Without waiting for a response, I'm on my way. Following the path Weiss took was easy, and keeping unseen was even easier. During the entire time, she never _once_ took a look back or stopped her stride.

In all honesty, I think that's for the best. I don't think it would be a good idea to confront her just yet. I know where she'll end up, and she might take criticism better from an authority figure than a teammate. That's why as I stand here watching her round the corner to the exact place I know will lead to Professor Port, I do nothing for the time being. I'll let things play out for the moment instead of meddling.

"Not going to go after her, Mister Sullivan?" A familiar voice asks from behind me. Casually I wheel myself around only to be faced with the man, the myth, the _legend!_

Ladies and gentlemen, it's Jon Bovi.

Actually I've lied to you, get fucked on. It's actually Ozzy man and the funky siblings, except he's pulling a solo act today. He's there with his ever-present cup of hot chocolate and his even more present poker face, awaiting my answer quite patiently for a man who runs a university for trained fighters.

"Not just yet, Ozzy. She's trailing after Professor Port. I feel like a bit of criticism from someone 'above her' might do her some good." I tell him, watching closely as absolutely _nothing_ about his expression changes.

"The famous Schnee Superiority Complex is acting up, I take it?" He asks nonchalantly, pretending he didn't just roast an entire lineage. Ouch!

"That's a way to put it. You'd think something like that would take a backseat after _almost getting me killed_ , but some things just don't work out the way you'd think. Ya know?" I should be worried about how many times I've come close to death. Like, I _really_ should be… but I just don't have time for that shit. Ozpin just gives me a nod in return.

"I know that reality very well, Sullivan." He pauses to take a token sip from his mug, but doesn't stop there. "You have a plan to deal with it yourself, I take it. Otherwise you wouldn't have bothered chasing after her, correct?"

"You're a smart one, eh?"

"I _do_ happen to run a school, Sully." Don't say it with such a blank expression, please and thank you.

"Cheeky… fine ya caught me. There are a few problems with dynamics in the team. Not only with Weiss, but that Belladonna girl has a few issues of her own. I could tell from one look at em' that I'd have a lot of work after being named leader… but I'm pretty sure specialized training is a good start, right?" I voice experimentally. I'm not too used to running my plans by someone first, so I'm surprisingly a bit hesitant to do so. Adding on to that, I'm probably still gonna do whatever I want anyway but it's the thought that counts!

"I believe I would call that a fairly good starting place. I have to say, you seem to have acclimated to the position of leader the fastest out of your year group. Only two days in, and you're already planning group training sessions…" He trails off, obviously interested despite not showing it.

"What would I gain by wasting my time?" I ask him seriously, paying attention to the sharpening look in his eyes.

"Indeed." Another sip, and he takes a moment to look at me. For some reason, I'm getting the feeling that he isn't seeing _me,_ but something else. This guy is fucking cryptic even when he isn't saying anything. Troublesome, truly. "I suppose I'll let you get back to your plan, Sully. I wish you good luck." With that he turned away and walked off. Just as I turned to do the exact same, he stopped me with some parting words.

"Oh, and before I forget. Those pre-paid lien cards of yours… smart idea. Keep that up, watching Glynda chase after those ghosts of hers is quickly becoming one of my favorite past times."

My unrestrained laughter filled the empty hall. Who could have guessed he'd have such a sense of humor?

I can honestly say I'm having fun here at Combat College.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

Walking out of the building, I'm not surprised in the least to find Weiss. Alone she sits on one of the many benches scattered around the small rest area, looking completely and utterly swamped in her thoughts. How can I tell, you might ask?

Well, she doesn't really seem like the type to stare silently at guard railing.

As quietly as I can, I make my way over to her and sit on the opposite end of her bench. Once I have my arms spread over the back of the outdoor furniture and I'm slumping quite comfortably, she finally takes notice of me.

 **Play Mild Orange – Mysight (Sofar Dunedin)**

"Hey." Absolutely _groundbreaking._ Despite my stellar segue into a conversation, she gives me nothing in return aside from a nervous expression.

"Alright then. I feel like I should apologize to you-"

"What?" She asks, interrupting me in the process. "If either of us should be apologizing, it should be me. I made an embarrassment of myself back there… and I'm sure it didn't reflect very well on my teammates either." Shame is filling her voice in a manner I'd never expected from her. It's very mature of her.

"I won't tell you that you're wrong… because you're not. You definitely lost your temper back there, and it's something that we'll need to talk about. At the same time though, it'll have to wait until I've finished what I need to say." I agree, stretching my back as I say this. A curious expression washes over her face, and silently she gestures for me to continue.

"I've been nothing short of a dick to you throughout the past days. When we first met, I not only bullied you, but I joined up with two other people to do so in front of our peers." While it's true that _neither_ of us were particularly nice to each other, I can't really just leave all this strangeness between us. "Then the very next day I gave you command of our squad even though I _knew_ you couldn't handle it. That was an abuse of not only the trust of Blake and Yang, but whatever trust _you_ had in me as well. I put you on the spot like that deliberately, and put all of us in a danger there never should have been out of spite. I'm sorry for that." Much to my surprise, she only rolled her eyes at my heartfelt apology!

Man, what a bit-

"Don't be so hard on yourself, you idiot. While I do appreciate the apology for our meeting, the second part is completely unnecessary! You're putting all the blame on yourself like I don't deserve even a small part of fault for _my own actions._ It was obvious even at the time that you were trying to teach us a lesson, so tone it down just a bit. If anything, I should have put my… **arrogance** aside and asked for help. I honestly didn't have the foggiest clue which direction we were headed." Despite admitting her faults, its very obviously something hard for her to do. At the very start she looked away from me, and she hasn't looked back even after finishing.

Naturally, I think her point is completely wrong and smells like doo doo butter. I almost got everyone killed _before_ my first day on the job because I gave into my annoyance. How can that be topped?

"How about we agree to disagree?" A look of annoyance passes over her face as I hold out my hand palm up towards her. Only a few seconds of hesitation on her part passed before she gave in and slid me some skin. At least she knows the gesture… that's absolutely a point in her favor, I don't care what anyone says.

Maybe Klein is just that cool?

"For now." She agrees ominously. I can guarantee that she'll try to talk to me about this at some point down the line. How troublesome.

"Works for me, Fiocco. Anyway, let's talk about what happened back there. You were getting really annoyed with Ruby… which I can kind of understand. She can be a bit too eager to help sometimes. Thing is, you were also shooting _me_ and the others looks. What's up with that?" Straight to the point seems to work well with Weiss, nothing to complain about there.

"I- it's a little embarrassing…" She says surprisingly shyly given her usual… 'abrasive' attitude. This ought to be interesting.

"No one's listening but me Weiss. If you want me to keep it between us, there's no need to worry. I'm _excellent_ at keeping secrets." A bit of truth there. I mean, can anyone say otherwise about me? Lying and avoiding the truth is one of my top skills, as unheroic as that might seem. If it wasn't one of my more practiced abilities, I'd without a doubt be on an operating table somewhere in Atlas to figure out if my body is in anyway different to that of the people of Remnant.

Living is a dangerous game for someone in my position, believe it or not. Dissection is a legit threat, since I'm a _fucking ALIEN_ and all that jazz. Who'd have figured?

"I… suppose it's fine. I'm sure you could figure it out, but with the way I was raised I was never in the presence of very many people my own age. It's all a bit overwhelming…" She trails off, looking down at her hands folded in her lap.

"That's natural Weiss. Give it some time and I guarantee you won't even notice it anymore. Anything else?" I prod her, looking for more.

"Well, it builds off of that a bit. Not being used to people around my own age makes it a lot harder to take advice as well. The way Ruby was yelling wasn't very helpful for me. Beyond that, the fact that a child like her and that Jaune fellow were made _leaders_ is really throwing me for a spin! I can't fathom what the Headmaster was thinking!" Weiss rages, indignant at the decision for reasons that are obvious.

Here, I'm hit with a variety of potential paths. Anywhere from defending Ruby and Jaune, to agreeing with the oddity that is the choice of the Headmaster. Good thing I'm a silver-tongued master of a man, ain't it?

"It might seem odd, but this is the Headmaster we're talking about." I start off, getting her attention on me easily. "This is the same guy that successfully raised the generation of Huntresses and Huntsmen that gave _birth_ to some of us." Contemplation is clear on her face at that, but I'm not quite done yet. "Don't quote me on it, but I'm pretty sure he sorted the one before _that_ too, and all the ones in between. If he was the kind of person that made mistakes like what you're suggesting, he probably would have been either kicked out of his position by the Valean Council at best, or thrown in prison at the worst."

"I never thought about it like that…" Weiss comments, obviously deep in thought because of the honest logic put before her. Under normal circumstances, I'm sure she'd come up with that herself. Thing about people though, is that it takes another of us to point something out from another perspective.

We're always too close to the situations that we care about, or are involved in.

"Just something to think on. I for one, as naïve as it might turn out to be, trust Ozzy. Not really because he's the Headmaster though."

"Then why?" Weiss asks curiously as I stand up from the bench and stretch.

I can't very well reveal someone else's secrets, now can I?

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, go get your gear and weapons. Our team is gonna have a training session." I say, already walking back to the room to get changed for the next half of the day.

Blake and I have a little spat to get to.

"Wha- on the first day?" I'm not really too sure why she sounds so shocked. Do I honestly look like a slacker?

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

"Am I the only one that thought Port's class was pretty BOARing?"

…

" _Yang._ " Groans Weiss, face red with embarrassment.

"What?" She responds, putting on a face of obliviousness. "It's _snout_ as if you got anything from that class either!"

Just keep walking Sully.

"You've been at this for the past five minutes…" Nothing but despair is in Blake's voice. Too bad for her, I don't think it'll stop until we arrive.

"Sure have, and it's made _hoofing_ it to the training area a lot more entertaining if you ask me." Twin groans are the only thing that she gets in response.

Thankfully, just before she could drag this on any more we finally made it to one of the many specialized training rooms Beacon Academy has to offer. There are about thirty of the things, so there isn't an overwhelming amount of competition for them if you also take the outdoor training fields into account. Thank god too, I doubt training would be easy for newbies like us if we had to compete with upperclassmen for reservations.

I lead my gaggle of girls through the doors of the reinforced room quickly, eager to start our session before two of my entourage rip their ears off.

"Enough _swine-_ ing ladies, we're here." I declare with my hands on my hips, looking back to my fully armed companions.

Well… _two_ of them at least. Weiss and Blake stare blankly at me as if I'd just sneezed spaghetti from my nose, and Yang is…

On her hands and knees on the ground? What the fuck?

"Uhm… Yang? Ya alright?" What, am I not allowed to make pig jokes?

"… I spend all break coming up with those and he just fuckin' _swoops_ in with one on the spot? How does that make any sense?! This is so unfair…" She mutters monotonously under her breath, completely oblivious to the looks from all of us as she smacks her hand against the ground.

…

Am I on fucking acid?

"Resounding no aside, first up are spars. Today it'll be Yang against Weiss and myself against Blake. Any questions?" I just kind of wait for a second and watch the gears turn in their heads as Yang gets back to her feet and wipes away a few faux tears. It honestly feels like a solid minute passes before anything happened, and that was Weiss chiming in with a query.

"Any reason for those particular match ups?"

I love straight forward questions.

"Well for you and Yang, I feel you both are direct opposites. One is precision and the other is overwhelming force. By fighting each other you'll not only get a feel for your styles, but you'll have to adapt to fight more effectively. Not in this first fight, obviously, but you get the vibe." I'm getting the sudden feeling that a good chunk of my time is gonna be organizing training for these three.

"That seems fine. And the reason for yourself and Blake?" Weiss prods.

"Uh… Blake is epic? And that makes me want to have a go?" Nah, it's more like I need to teach her a lesson in trust. She's been a different person ever since the forest, and I want to fix that. I in all honesty want homegirl back.

I'm just too lazy to explain that out loud. I want to fight already!

No one says a thing for a solid few seconds, but the stillness of the room is broken by Yang. Slowly, she leans over to Weiss and stage-whispers only one thing into her ear.

" _He said the 'E' word…_ "

The look on Weiss' face at that is the current big mood, and no one can convince me otherwise.

"Alright enough fucking with me. You two will be using this main room here." I announce, pointing at both Yang and Weiss before turning towards Blake. "You and I will use that handy adjoining room right over there."

As they all finally take notice of the rather obvious door in the room, Yellow and Leggy seem to take it at face value. Not even a single second goes by before they move to opposite ends of the room and begin running last minute checks on their weapons. Seeing this as my chance to leave, I start my way towards the door.

"I'm 'epic', huh?" An amused Belladonna taunts as she follows behind. Instead of rising to the bait, I just hold the door open for her. A near identical room awaits us, but I'm not focused on that. Instead, I'm lasered in on the idea that I have in my mind.

How to go about this?

"Are you ready?" Blake asks, already in position across from me.

I stay silent. I watch for changes, and find big ones. Gradually her posture tenses ever so slightly, becoming just that much more defensive. Her eyes shift between me and her weapon nervously, most likely pondering just why I'm staring at her.

After moments, I feel like I've found my path.

"From what I've learned… you were the first to accept." I comment in an obscure tone, still keeping frightful eye-contact with her.

"What are you talking about?

"Come at me." I order, slipping into a rooted stance. She might be a bit miffed about her question being completely ignored, but she'll get over it.

With narrowed eyes, she takes off. Racing towards me with light footsteps, her Gambol Shroud shifted quickly into a katana. First thing I notice one on one like this is that she's extremely fast, closing the distance between us in little time… but speed isn't everything. With a dispassionate expression I sidestep her and toss an open palm at the small of her back, landing the lightest blow I can manage without any obstruction at all.

"Open." I say, simply as an observation. "Adapt or the next one will hurt very badly."

Am I pulling off this character right? Feels a little weird, to be honest.

Blake turns around with narrowed eyes. I can see the palpable annoyance on her face, but she changes nothing obvious. Instead of adapting, she once again rushes straight at me with Gambol Shroud at the ready.

Straight forward attacks aren't her style. Not the _real_ Blake, at least. The Blake before me is either an imposter, which isn't likely… or she's trapped in her own head, like I'd thought. It's even more obvious to me that she needs this lesson.

She closes the distance similar to the first time: with frightening speed. Her katana, previously held at the ready, is raised high for an overhead slash now that she's inches away. I can see in her eyes that she expects me to dodge.

If only she knew what is to come… poor girl.

As the length of metal slices through the air towards me, I do nothing except open my arms wide. There they remain, even as the instrument of battle makes a sharp landing against my collar bone, scraping away barely a handful of my Aura. Shock blossoms on the undercover Faunus' face as she realizes the blow struck, and even more is piled on when she looks me in the eye.

Hook. Line. And _Sinker._

With an amused smile on my face I continue looking directly into her honey colored eyes… even as my arms thunder towards one another with malicious intent. With the same motion as an over-zealous applause, I slam both hands over the ears on either side of her head. A pained look crawls over her face as her sense of equilibrium is thrown out the window, all from that little amount of applied force. I observe as she stumbles with her weapon still firmly in her grasp, but don't choose to waste any time. My right hand rockets out in the form of a quick jab, and lands directly on her throat.

Finally her weapon is dropped and her hands tenderly grasp at the abused area, momentarily unable to breath. By design of the attack, of course. She's hunched over slightly, giving me yet another opening. As fast as I thought of it, my hands were set heavily on her shoulders and I pulled her in close. Although a hug seemed imminent… it was not. My knee gets a formal introduction to her solar plexus, and the poor girl is sent flying.

Needless to say, she'll need a second to recover.

"I've seen you fight before homegirl. You wouldn't give me nothing but forward advances if you weren't thinking about something." I say casually after absolutely rocking her shit. Through occasional coughs, she manages to respond.

"W-what do _you_ know?" My, my… is someone a little angwy? How adorable!

"I know a hell of a lot. But for your question, that's easy. I can see it in you." I pause just long enough to pick her weapon off the ground and turn it over in my hands, admiring its sharpness. "You're caught up on what happened in that forest. I can see it in the way you act around me. Nervous where before, you were confident. Reclusive where before, you were open. Distracted where before, you were focused." Every word was like a knife stabbing into her, I could see it. She's embarrassed that I caught on so easily.

"… do we have to do this?" She asks quietly with clenched hands. Is she angry, or scared?

Does it matter, at this point?

"Well I can't let it continue. I want _my_ Blake back. Call me selfish if it makes you feel better, but I want the first friend I made at Beacon back." Just quit being so fucking closed off!

"What do you expect from me? Do you think I'll just trust you right off the bat and pour out my heart to you? That isn't how the world works." She denies completely, trying her best to recede into her shell.

 **Play 08: Red Vs. Blue – Revelations Soundtrack (Jeff Williams)**

But I won't stand for that shit… not while I'm still kicking, at least.

"Then I'll _make_ it work that way." I declare forcefully, starting a slow gait towards her. Her hands are trembling with indignation as I get closer, and she forces herself to her feet without a single misstep.

"You can try…" She says back, dismissively. Without missing a beat, I strike. I launch her own weapon at her blade first, and as it shoots towards her I follow in a full-tilt sprint. At the advance of her own weapon, she slides that cleaver-like sheath off the magnetic plate on her back. A quick swipe towards the flying weapon sends it careening to the side, completely ousted by its own housing.

It took her exactly that long to notice me.

Try as she might to bring her arm back in preparation for a slash at me with her cleaver, she just wasn't fast enough. Once close enough, I turn sideways and crouch down just enough to plant my hands onto the ground. With the proper support now gained, I launch a tilted double kick towards her, basically suspending myself with nothing but momentum. Instead of taking the full brunt of the attack directly to her face, she manages to shift just enough to the side to only get clipped in the chin by my heel.

Lucky for her…

In response she peppers me with slashes all along my torso while I'm helpless before I slam heavily on the ground, momentum no longer keeping me suspended. The collision with the floor forces the air to leave my lungs, but I can't afford to take time getting it back. Instead, I'm on my front in a flash with my hands under my chest to push me to my feet as quick as possible. Sadly… it seems even _that_ wasn't fast enough. Before I can get to my feet, a weight is on my back. As soon as two appendages wrap around my neck, I pinpoint that weight as one Blake Belladonna. It takes until she applies pressure to figure out exactly what her next move was.

She's trying to fucking _choke_ me! Without any substantial air in my lungs, and now lacking the ability to get any, I'm starting to feel my lungs burn just the slightest bit. On my knees, I grasp onto her arms and shake and buck in an attempt to get her off, but to no avail. Her grip on me is just too strong.

Then there were flashes.

Dark.

Wet.

 _Burning._

 _Those voices…_

 ** _So many…_**

In an instant I was up on my feet, still shaking her around like a rag doll. My mind is a mess, but I'm still coherent enough to realize that I'm going to have a panic attack if this 'move' of hers continues much longer. I can't let that happen.

With a last-ditch attempt to get her off, I manage to jump, bringing both of us a good distance into the air. I hear her gasp, probably in realization of what's coming her way, but pay it no mind. One second, we were flying. The next, I'd landed with my full weight directly on my back, effectively slamming Blake into the ground with the force of gravity on my side. A choking, _wheezing_ sound escaped her from the force exerted onto her chest, and she was left writhing on the ground as I quickly scrambled to my feet and faced her.

"What the hell have I done to you not to deserve trust?" I ask, the strain put on my throat dreadfully apparent in my voice. "Are you really that fucking scared of me?!"

Eyes full of rage glare at me from the floor, even as she clutches her chest.

"Who the hell said _you_ are the one I'm scared of?!" She shouts right back at me. With just a bit of a struggle she's back on her feet and has a tightened grip on her cleaver.

"What do you mean by that, HUH?!" I continue, completely throwing any semblance of a plan out the window. My emotions are running the show now, it seems.

Fuck.

She rushes me once again, seemingly going for yet another frontal attack. She never fucking learns, does she? Not paying any mind at all to the blurred speed of my sparing partner, I open up our newest collision with a high kick aimed for her head. To my shock, the attack goes right through her. Panic sets into my mind, and for the briefest of moments, I believe that I've severely hurt my teammate.

Then realization hits me… in the form of several rapid attacks splashing across my back.

Naturally, I lash back with an elbow without even looking. I definitely make contact, but by the time I'm turned around to continue my onslaught she's gone once more and I get a solid kick right in the crook of my neck that makes me stumble.

This goes on for nearly twenty seconds, with her completely dominating the fight and myself fighting what amounts to ghosts. Well, before I lose it, of course.

All it took was the solid impact of a fist to the back of my head to finally send me over the edge. Instinctively my hand shot to the latch of my canister, and then shit hit the fan.

" **Oh!** So we're playin' with _semblances_ now?!" I grind out, completely and utterly pissed from swinging at air and still getting hit. As soon as I fingered the latch open, water pooled out by the gallons. Not too long after, the floor immediately surrounding me was coated in the stuff, and I'd found my illusive training partner in no time at all. Like a guard dog, my liquid munitions were on her in an instant.

I turn around, and _there_ she was. Covered up to her neck in one of my traps was a still struggling black haired woman… one that I'm very _unhappy_ with at the moment. With a savage grin spread across my face, I force the tendril to send her on a first-class flight directly into one of the unforgiving walls that make up the room. To my disappointment, she doesn't impact quite like I wanted. Instead, she manages to land feet first on the vertical surface and spring-board herself towards me, coming in hot. With a simple gesture of my tattooed arm and a thought, the relatively small amount of water I have out all pooled in front of me before she could change direction, more than ready for her advance. She lands from her launch into a run at a break-neck pace, but for some reason she chooses to rush directly into the coating of water on the floor, seeming to pay it barely any thought.

In that second, I try my damned hardest to clear my head. I look into her eyes… and even though she's looking at me too, they just don't meet. Just who is she fighting, if it isn't me?

A pillar of water rises up to trap her, but she blurs to the left and bypasses it completely. I send out another, and she dodges a second time in a manner just the same.

She doesn't make it past the third time.

Trapped once again in the grip of my tentacle, she struggles hopelessly to get free. I draw back the tendril a good bit, and like a trebuchet launch her back-first directly into the ground. A loud smack reverberates throughout the room when she makes contact with the floor, and I slip the water back into position for another attack for once she gets up. Seconds pass with me keeping a diligent gaze on her. Those seconds add up quickly, and when the mark of a minute passes I finally get the hint that she's not going to be getting up again.

Instead, she stays on the ground sucking in greedy amounts of air. Gradually, I retract my water supply and eventually latch the Dutchman back up. Once done with that, I walk carefully over to the prone Belladonna. Step by step, her situation becomes clearer. Even though I'm now right in front of her, still she doesn't see me. Only the ceiling catches her eyes.

 **Play Talk to Me - Cavetown**

"… who are you afraid of, Blake?" I don't have it in me to be pissed anymore. The skin around her eyes is red, like she's just seconds away from tears. How can I still be angry, when I feel guilty for this in the first place?

"My-" Her answer is cut off by her own throat, choked by emotion that I never thought she'd show to me. "Myself."

Her voice is small, but the words were massive. The philosophical meaning behind that answer alone would throw countless people for a loop as to its meaning… but I'm pretty sure I have a good idea of what she means by that.

"What do you mean?" I keep my voice soft and unassuming, trying to the best of my abilities to nurture this sharing of emotion.

"What I _mean_ is that I'm scared of myself. In that forest, after meeting you, after all the laughs, after you _saved me…_ my first reaction was to leave you behind. To _run away_ , Sully." There's a weight in her voice, one that I'm not entirely comfortable with to be honest. But in a situation this delicate, I can't display anything _but_ confidence… or else everything will crumble away. I know this to be fact.

"Then change it." I suggest succinctly, leaving no room for argument.

"What?" She asks, completely flabbergasted at the simplicity of my answer. So much so that she deigned to actually _look_ me in the face.

"I know that people in a position like us tend to have a lot on our minds, but this is getting ridiculous. It's almost like everyone around me is forgetting that we're in a _school._ " At her frustrated expression, I go a bit further. "School is a place where we learn, yes… but it's _also_ a place where we grow. We _learn_ new things. Skills, techniques, knowledge in general. But we _grow_ , into something greater. Better people, with better moralities, and better _instincts,_ Blake. Don't ever think you can't change, because something like this is _entirely_ up to you."

That previous frustration is still on her face, but she's getting much puffier under the eyes as the seconds tick by. It's only a matter of time before the dam breaks.

"You just don't _get it_ , do you?" She shoots at me venomously. "When you just strolled on over and saved me from death and took the hit yourself, I didn't hesitate at all! I accepted that you were dead and was ready to move on with my life in _moments."_ Her self-loathing got the tears flowing… or at least pooling.

"And yet here I am, alive and kicking." I state firmly. "Even if I did die, do you honestly think I'd want you to hold guilt like this over your heart? I know from experience that I wouldn't put that pain on anyone but my worst enemies. You're one of the _last_ people that I'd ever want to feel that way."

"W-what are you saying?" Her eyes reach mine, but far from the frustration that was once there… I only see something described as pleading.

"What I'm _saying-_ " I start, taking just two steps closer before continuing. "Is that even if it might've been luck that I survived, it's gonna take a lot more to take me down than that. I'm a sturdy kinda guy, Blake. You at the very least know what that means, right?"

"No… what does it mean?" She asks as softly as before, eyes shining with unshed tears. I gesture my hand to her as a means to help her up. She hesitantly takes it, and I heft her up to her feet. The motion causes her water-works to finally fall, coating her cheeks in salty emotion. I plant a comforting hand on her shoulder as I look at her, and give her my most heartfelt answer.

"It means that no matter _what_ happens, I'll always be right here next to ya if you need me. If you trust me to be, that is."

Her eyes were wide at my declaration, but I didn't really pay it any mind until she moved in close and latched her arms around me.

'Is she… hugging _me_?' She's trembling a bit… she must still be shaken up.

What the fuck is up with today and feelings, man?

I hear a soft mumbling, almost quiet enough for me to miss. Instead of asking again or something, I strain my hearing to understand her.

"… you promise?"

"Yea." I blurt out without thinking, honestly shocked by the question. Quickly adapting to the situation, I bring one of my hands around and rest it gently against her back, giving her a few soft pats. Thinking hard about what I'm going to say next, I take a deeply satisfied breath before following up with a light smile gracing my face. "Yes… I promise."

We stayed like that for what felt like a few minutes, and I feel like it was something that she needed dearly. I offered no obstruction, letting her do as she pleased.

Eventually, she pulled away. Wiping some of the lingering tears out of her eyes and taking a few deep breaths, I find that precious thing that I feel I've been looking for.

Through the redness and a few sniffles… I spy a _real_ smile. A happy one, rather than one of politeness.

Needless to say, that makes me happy as well.

I wait for a moment, and once it seems she'd regained her composure I try to steer us ever so slightly back on track.

"Now that we're feeling better… you wanna call it quits or do you feel up to some calisthenics?" I ask out lamely, just a bit unsure of how to follow after such a deep heart to heart. I don't really feel up to another spar with her, and I'm pretty sure that she did a nasty number on my aura level as well during our little fit. Besides, everyone needs exercise, right? Maybe it'll even distract her if I'm lucky.

She hesitates for just a second before answering, but a small _genuine_ smile graces her features when she finally does.

"I think that would be nice."

…

I guess I'll have to wait until later to use those golden star stickers I brought… oh well. I think I'd prefer this over a cheap joke any day, to be frank.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Unknown Area µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Play DEORC WEG – Desolate Cold Plains**

Desolation.

That is the most descriptive word for what I see, and yet somehow it still doesn't fit.

Two opposing landscapes, seemingly jigsawed together as an affront to nature as I know it. Sand and ice. Frost and heat. Opposites in every way, yet smashed together.

Before me, a line.

To the left, a desert of unimaginable magnitude. Dunes of sand and jutting coarse rock fill the landscape to the point I can no longer see anything else. Sweltering heat blisters at my skin as I observe the pure desolation to my side. The sun is close overhead, staring down at me with cockiness.

To my right, the definition of a tundra. Chilling wind echoes off the face of massive glacial cracks, biting into me without respite. Emptiness fills my vision, not even snow or slush exists to greet me. Only the ice which makes up the ground. Above that, the moon watches over me with a sense of calm acceptance.

Between them, is myself and nothing else. Stuck between two extremes, and able… but _unwilling_ to move.

Seconds pass before I can think. Minutes follow before I can blink. Days pass by before I can look. Months say goodbye before I can turn. Years say hello before I can speak.

Time passes me by, and yet I remain.

Cold and hot. Blistering and biting. Hypothermia and heat stroke.

I power through the worst of extremes without budging an inch, and without straying from my thoughts.

I feel myself _rot_.

As I cool down to my bones, my flesh mummifies into a horrifying display of sunken leather. The skin pales and stretches taut over my bones as my muscles fade from existence.

As I bake in the dry heat, my flesh fails to cling to me. It falls off… every bit. Onto the ground it rests, eventually taken by the shifting sands and occasional winds.

The landscapes change with intensity, sometimes coming to the brink of destruction but always growing back to the height of magnificence that they were at the beginning.

I, however, never budge. Rooted I stay, with nothing on my mind but bone.

Then, in a brilliant display of light, the sun tears in on itself and is gone… leaving nothing in its wake.

…

But that's a lie. That would imply that its disappearance _didn't_ birth the existence of the purest of darkness upon the world in which I reside. For the longest of times, blackness was everything. From the time I felt, down to the point where everything finally fell to numbness, it was there.

Until it was invaded.

Though I should have lost many things thanks to my body being of bleached bone and shriveled skin, sight was not one of them. I can feel myself look around, and eventually… I saw once more.

Nothing quite as magnificent as the landscape I now craved though. No magnificent glaciers or beautiful dunes awaited my eyes. Instead… something familiar, yet new.

A figure of the purest pastel white I've ever witnessed, so bright it partially hurt to look towards. For the longest time, I struggled to cast my gaze upon the stationary figure. Straining my eyes as much as I might, the feeling still remained. Eventually, the brightness was mitigated by an inky blackness at its core. It pulsed violently only once, and then never again. The blackness absolutely _shined_ against the background of white, and remained constant.

" _My, my, my. It seems that you're correct, brother… this one certainly_ _ **is**_ _made out of something sturdy."_ Though the figure possessed no mouth, still it spoke. With its head cocked ever so slightly out of curiosity, its voice reached my rotten ears and forced me to _hear._

A voice made for royalty, stiff and unyielding. An undertone exists… something along the lines of a fondness is there. I'd even go as far to call it caring, in a certain light. Despite all those characteristics, _whimsical_ overshadows the lot of them.

In a flash, many things happened.

As if reacting to the voice of the being before me and bending to its will, the world was given light once again. Millions upon billions of stars lit up the sky where before there was nothing. The moon, ever present despite the self-destruction of the sun took on the mantle of light bringer. What dismal light that shined down from the heavens was drawn to and reflected by the pale face of the moon, and in turn that light gave my world sight once more. Everything was just as it once was, a sandy desert and an icy tundra… but it was also different. The searing nature of the desert was cut away by the absence of the sun, and in it's place a comparably pleasant coolness settled on my bones. While not the same as before, the pale moonlight is more than welcome.

The sound of cracking forces me away from the thoughts of a man millions of years older than I.

My eyes are first drawn to the very obvious figure of white, and follows diligently as it turns away from the desert it resides in and casts an eyeless gaze at the tundra across the line closest to it. A crack, tiny and insignificant rests against the backdrop of gouges in the ice. More crunching, and the crack grows. Eventually, the crack grows into a suspicious circle, and the shifting started. From under the ice rises a figure of the exact same dimensions as the figure of white, only this one being a vaguely familiar charcoal black. Ice falls off in sheets from its his body, as he is known as 'brother', and fills in the hole left from his emergence. A blinding white radiates from his core, marking him as an exact opposite to the other.

 **"** **Isn't he just, brother? I was hoping you would take a liking to him, as I know** ** _I_** **certainly have."** The figure comments, clapping his hands in a pleased manner. The white one turns back towards me, making a show of contemplation.

 _"_ _I'm intrigued, I suppose. Like seems a bit much for a first observation in my own opinion, Brother."_ He responds with care in his voice, seeming to cater just the slightest bit towards his sibling.

 **"** **I would call that fair. I'll say this however, he is definitely one to keep an eye on! For not a single moment has he lost my attention since my watch started! It's a very interesting position he's in, after all."** The Brother of Darkness comments, before immediately hunching over, seeming to look just a bit closer towards me than previously. **"Though he might** ** _look_** **just a bit different. Let's fix that, actually. He's fairly unsightly as it stands."**

Wow, thanks jackass. Not like I asked to shrivel up and rot away. I raise up a finger and point towards him, about to give a retort, when it hits me exactly what I've just done.

 _And_ exactly what I'm thinking. I gotta say, I'm just the tiniest bit impressed.

I look across myself and give small pats here and there just to prove I can feel again, and to my pleasure I'm fully back in business. With my body satisfactorily alive again, I look back up and my gears start turning understandably.

'So that dream the other day _was_ real… how troublesome.' I can't very well let any of the nervousness or doubt I feel be projected into an impression though, so acting like everything is status quo is really the only option I have at the moment.

"Not even a gesture this time? You've been holding out on me." I state casually, despite being in the presence of literal gods. In all honesty I might ascend to god-hood myself if I can keep up this god level composure of mine. Nothing comes without training, but still! The dark figure rests a hand on his hip as he gazes at me, and just _like_ a brother the light one turns to see his retort.

 **"** **I can not only wipe land marks off the map, but** ** _also_** **the worlds' knowledge of said land mark at large with nothing but a thought. Are you sure** ** _that_** **is what impresses you?"** He asks without any real vehemence in his voice, likely not too much bothered by the idea.

"Hey, it's not like you're running around showing this shit off as far as I know. Cut me some slack, alright?" I bat back, getting a pair of shrugged shoulders in response. It feels like their mannerisms evolve the more I talk with them at this point.

How odd.

" _Interesting indeed…_ " Came the muttering from the Brother of Light, who had a hand firmly planted on his chin and an arm supporting the other.

 **Play Ugasanie – Aurora**

"So what's the topic of our book club today, Ye Gods of Fraternity?" I ask in earnest, honestly curious as to what the two of them want me for this time. It's not everyday you have a conference call with the gods, after all.

Nah, instead it happens like once every three days apparently. Why is my life this?

An eyeless look was shared between the two before they redirected their gaze back to me once more. My curiosity only grew more palpable with each passing second.

" _First and foremost, this was a chance for me to observe you up close. As far as that goes, it seems that my estimations of the quality of work the Origin put into its creations were… a bit off._ " The deity of light stated, looking perplexed by my mere existence. Despite not having a face, I'd recognize that look anywhere. I see it every day in the mirror, after all.

 **"** **Off for the both of us, actually. Long ago I was with my brother in the league of thought that the Origin had weak creations because it simply** ** _couldn't_** **make them more powerful. As my interest in the Origin grew, however, I stumbled upon the legends of mortals such as Kratos, Alucard, and Morgana the Witch. It goes without saying that my entire theory changed after that."** The Brother of Darkness explains, completely and utterly blowing my mind. You're telling me… that those legends are _real_? Morgana I could believe, I guess. She would have existed probably a good thousand or more years before I was even _conceived_ , so who knows? But Dracula and fucking _Kratos?!_

…

Ya know, actually thinking about it, just look at where I am right now. Does what I've been doing here recently ring some bells on the side of impossibility? It really puts into perspective just how much room I don't have to deny those things being real in the slightest.

"Changed how, exactly?" Reality shattering aside, I'm still interested. That's just the kind of guy I am though, so whatever.

 **"** **In the exact way that I told you before. I started to think that the Origin purposely** ** _kept_** **mortals weak. The** ** _reason_** **I think this is based on numerous pieces of evidence, and I believe it to be firm. It stands that despite the Origin's intentions, mortals found their way to power time and time again. In most cases it was but a drop of it in the grand scheme of things, but for them it was more than enough for their potential to absolutely** ** _blossom!_** **The introduction of even the smallest amount of power to mortals from the Origin was always enough for them to do great things far beyond their natural capabilities."** The Brother of Darkness explains, with myself listening intently to him. Interest in his own words aside, there's something indescribably genuine to his words.

He takes this seriously, I take it.

" _As you've probably gathered, he's very passionate about his observations. I've never had as much interest in the Origin as he, and typically I remain unsubscribed to notions unless I witness and observe the evidence myself._ " The figure of white speaks to me, pausing to look at his brother before continuing. " _For some reason, however… I find myself starting to see reason on this particular theory._ "

 **"** **Isn't that grand? I'd dare say that** ** _you_** **have been instrumental in this minor miracle."** The brother god relays to me with clasped hands, clearly quite pleased with my… 'performance', I guess. In response to his words, the opposing figure speaks once more with his head tilted in thought.

" _Perhaps not quite a 'miracle', but instrumental indeed, Brother._ "

…

How lovely?

"Interesting…" I mutter. Before I can say anything more, the figure of light continues on.

" _Quite! But I dare say that we've gotten off track."_

 **"** **How true, Brother."** The brother of darkness agrees, effectively taking the reins. **"While we've given you the first, there also exists a second."**

" _The first was observation…"_ Light starts.

 **"** **.. and the second was the delivery of a message."** Dark finishes.

Immediately they turn to each other, both with a stance of thought about them.

" _A message, Brother? I thought it to be a task, was it not?"_

 **"** **Perhaps, but if it's a task, then why not a mission instead?"**

" _Because 'mission' seems far too heavy a term. Perhaps in the future we'll saddle him with a mission, but not quite yet._ "

 **"** **Very true, dear brother. And why, pray tell, not a message?"**

" _For the very same reason, but in reverse! Such a term is far too weak._ "

 **"** **Then I suppose you were right; a task seems most appropriate."**

I guess this is the part where I throw caution to the wind. Clearing my throat just to be sure of my voice, I speak.

"And this task of yours would be…?" I ask, eager to hear what they have for me.

Finally, they turn back to me. Before anything at all, they shoot each other one last look, and return their faceless gaze directly to me. Then as one, they spoke.

 ** _"_** ** _All across Remnant, there are many people, all having many tasks. Some are much greater in importance than others, and some are far less important than that. For us, we consider YOUR task the most difficult and widespread of them all."_**

Difficult and widespread?

 ** _"_** ** _You see, young traveler… your task is simply to do one thing."_**

One thing?

" _Survive…_ "

 **"…** **Yourself."**

"Survive myself… huh." That's foreboding. Without a doubt.

 ** _"_** ** _Exactly."_**

…

And how would one go about doing such a thing as that? Definitely something to think about. What could my future hold that surviving would become a task?

 **"** **You can almost see his mind at work, can't you brother?"** The deity of darkness says in a tone nothing less than amused, resting in a position with his hands behind his head.

" _Very much so. He's an interesting one, that's undeniable._ " The deity of light responds with crossed arms, obvious intrigue tinting his voice. With a burdened mind, I watch as he looks up to the sky, seemingly observing the stars above. " _As much 'fun' as this is, I do believe our time is up Brother._ "

 **"** **Right you are! Astute as always, Brother."** He says with cheer to his sibling, right before addressing me once more. **"You haven't lost yourself yet. Very good! Be sure to keep this trend of yours up, otherwise I'll be terribly disappointed."**

" _I agree wholeheartedly."_ His brother chimes in, right before continuing. " _Keep in mind what we've said today, and you will stay among the living._ "

"Can do, boss. I'm pretty good at barely staying alive, no need to worry." Tease not just one god… but _two_?

I'm playing a dangerous game here… but what's new?

" _Cheeky._ " It didn't even come out as a comment, instead sounding like a statement of fact. Not bad, deity.

Not bad at all…

 ** _"_** ** _Be sure to keep an eye on yourself, traveler."_** They start for the last time, once more synchronized. **_"You should know my now, that ours will absolutely be on you."_**

…

Ominous, but not something I really have it in me to worry about. I haven't been erased from existence _yet_ , have I?

The end of their sentence marked the beginning of the end for my conference with them. All around me, darkness encroached. One by one, the stars in the sky disappeared. Soon, near total blackness was all that was left. The only thing that stayed, was the pale moon… still shining through the darkness just for me.

All the way up until I closed my eyes, and left existence entirely with a smile.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

With a quiet gasp I sat up, feeling heat even as the sheets fell away from my chest. Before I can stop myself, I look around frantically. Despite trying to stem it, desperation wells up in my heart. Much to my relief, it's immediately quenched.

To my left, resting loudly in my shared bed is Yang. Across the way resting in a bed of her own is Blake, and just behind her in yet another bed is Weiss. Both of them are sleeping peacefully… or so I think. Admittedly, I thought that _last_ time as well, but it turned out that Yang was keeping at least one of them up.

'Speaking of…'

Without the grogginess that I usually find present when jolting awake, I reach into my pocket yet again and grasp the familiar texture of a nose strip. Like I'd said, I _always_ keep one handy at night. Placing it gently across the bridge of her nose, I feel nothing but satisfaction at the repetitive motion of what has become something of a routine.

Especially after these 'dreams'… the fact that everything is still exactly how I left it brings a bit of calm to my heart.

Fuck knows I need it.

 **µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 **Chapter 9 µµµµµµµµµµµµ END µµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµµ**

 _Symbolism, symbolism. How I love thee._

 _Can you decipher all of my riddles, or perhaps predict what they mean?_

 _Anyway, yet another chapter, and this one has a good few serious scenes. I had fun writing this one in particular, but I always have fun writing and expanding my world. Serious talks about serious situations and all that._

 _If you feel like it and you leave a comment, tell me what your favorite animal is! Mine is the seal, believe it or not. Let me know what you thought of the chapter as well, I guess. That should probably come first to favorite animals, now that I think about it… huh._

 _Whatever!_

 _That aside I hope everyone had a good experience, and I'll see ya next time._

 _Shore out_


End file.
